Bark at the Moon
by Sakura Onna
Summary: SessxOC. on Haitus AU
1. Chapter 1: escape

Bark at the Moon 

an InuYasha story

by: Sakura Onna

Disclaimer: I do not own any InuYasha characters, weapons, or any other item. I am not getting payed to write this story (even though I would like to be very much). The only characters I own are Kimiko, her father, her father's weapon, the youkai lord of the mansion, and Akachi as they were created by my own little mind. Anyway off to the story! Oh yeah! I do not claim the rights to use the song title of Ozzy Osbourne's work for this either. I'm just borrowing it! Anything else I missed belongs to their respective owners and not me.

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Chapter 1: escape

For a change the look of boredom in her face was real. Not that anyone in the mansion that was her prison knew that. One could only bide their time gathering their strength and plotting revenge for so long before even it lost its entertainment value. The time still didn't feel right to launch her campaign against the traitors who had killed pretty much her entire household except for her, and bust out of here to claim what is rightfully hers. Her clawed fingers twitched of their own accord at the memory of her father betrayed and slain by his own vassals. For all of the two and a half centuries she had been imprisoned in the home of one of the aforementioned vassals the mere thought of it all was enough to make her blood boil. She was secure in the knowledge that she was more than strong enough to escape from the mansion and level it to the ground in the process when it felt like the time was right.

But one of the first things she would have to do after escaping would be to locate and take possession of her father's weapon. The weapon that had been forged from one of his own fangs.

Kimiko caught a few strands of her hair, which others for whatever unfathomable reason kept referring to as spun sunlight, in her claws and thought of the late lord of the west who had two swords forged from his fangs. She mused for a few seconds if she should try to steal the Tetsuaiga, the sword that could slay a hundred youkai in one swing, from its current master before dismissing it as ludicrous. All she needed were her claws and fangs, and her father's weapon.

Kimiko tensed as the son of the mansion's lord approached her place of meditation in the garden. There was only one thing that would bring him here in general, and that was that the lord told him to tell her that her presence was demanded. Everyone in the household knew she was a ticking time bomb of violence and the servants refused to come near her. So the lord was forced to use his own son to retrieve her so he could show her off as a trophy of war. She knew the red-haired panther approaching her place of solitude was wary of her every moment. She knew that he knew that she could rip out his throat with the smallest flick of the wrist if it struck her fancy, and he was afraid of her for it. She liked that fear because it meant when the time came she could easily manipulate him.

"The lord requests your presence in the audience hall immediately," Akachi called out stopping 14 feet from where she sat with her back against a maple tree.

Kimiko cracked her knuckles unhappy with the intrusion and Akachi took a few steps back before taking a defensive stance. "You mean he demands my presence in the audience hall, so he can try to impress his guest."

The panther youkai's almost human face became a mask of pure terror as Kimiko rose to her feet. The glint in the female inu youkai's blue eyes made him want to soil his hakama and sink into the earth at his feet . . . anything to get away from her and out of her way. A whimper of fear escaped his throat as she walked toward him. His pulse sky rocketed and he jumped to the side as she moved to walk by him. He cowered in the shrubbery shaking worse than if an earthquake had struck. As she strode past his quivering form, she caught the scent of urine and dung. A cruel smile curved her lips as she walked toward the house.

She was going to humor the lord for the last time then begin her campaign to reclaim what was rightfully hers that night. The time still didn't feel quite right, but she didn't care anymore. She was tired of waiting.

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Kimiko easily cleared the wall surrounding the mansion with minimal effort in a single leap, landing softly on the other side. She stalked quietly from shadow to shadow in the flickering light cast by a few torches. Soon the little good-bye present she left should create a big enough blaze that would cause enough distraction for her to slip passed the guards without receiving much attention. Yes, she wanted to leave with a bang so to speak, but she knew it would be more practical to slip by with as little notice as possible. Doing so would give her enough time to accomplish the preparations she needed to make for the coming war: like finding the spear-like weapon forged of her father's fang. Though she was loath to admit it, she would need allies as well in this war she was going to create.

A growl escaped her throat at that thought and she applied a spell to mask her scent as the wind shifted so she was upwind of the guards. Even though they were only cats their noses would be sensitive enough to know her scent shouldn't be there. She quickly leaped over the outer wall of the mansion compound and made a break for the forest a hundred yards away as the cries of fire began to rise up and the glow of the blaze could be seen.

As she padded through the forest easily going over roots and other such obstacles, she mulled over her problem and what she would have to do to solve it. Kimiko knew she could handle an army of almost 500 pretty well on her own, but also knew she was bound to encounter numbers far larger than that. Therefore she had to enlist the aid of another youkai, but she also had to make sure she could beat them as well in case they tried to double cross her . . . But not so weak they would be of no use either. Decisions, decisions.

Unbidden the memory of the late Western Lord came once more to her mind. She had heard that he had two sons; the elder of which would have inherited that title . . . Maybe she should seek him out . . . and maybe he would have heard something through the great youkai grapevine about her father's fang as well that he could pass on to her that could be of use.

Kimiko paused on the large root of a giant tree that stuck out of the forest floor a good seven feet - more than enough for a grown human male to walk under without worry of hitting his head - to weigh her options. She had never met the elder son of the famed inunotaisho but she had over heard enough gossip in the mansion's audience hall over the years to know he was not prone to granting favors, or anything of such nature, unless he had something to gain from it. Though on the other hand his strength was pretty well known in the youkai world and to be receiving his aid would more than tip the scales of power in her favor. It would make it well known to all that she was truly a force to be reckoned with and not just an upstart female. It would get her to be taken seriously faster. But then there was the problem of locating the wandering tai youkai . . .

Kimiko sighed as she reached a conclusion. She would look for the wandering elder son of inunotaisho, but she would only grant herself half a year. If she couldn't locate him in that time frame, she would focus on locating the fang and someone else as an ally . . .

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A/N: Well, there you have it: the first chapter of Bark at the Moon. If you want to read more you're gonna have to review because I'm not posting the next chapter until this gets at least three. So review if you like or hate it. Either one is fine with me especially if it points out the weak spots of this chapter. I want to write a good story that people will enjoy reading so every comment counts! No more threats to the reader in future chapters! I do want input though!


	2. Chapter 2: Rin, Get Back Here!

Bark at the Moon

an Inuyasha fan fiction

by: Sakura Onna

A/N: Thanks everyone that's read so far for your time! It's kinda funny in a way. If I hadn't shown the original paper copy of chapter 1 to a friend, I would have never finished writing the version here on FF or even thought of continuing it. It would have joined my large pile of started but left unfinished stories I've got lying around. I hope this chapter is as good as or better than the last one. To warn you in advance there is a short scene of mild graphic violence in this chapter . . . Hopefully it's not graphic enough to get me in trouble with FF! -_-" Thanks to gnarley and one of my friends I was motivated to try to finish and post this chapter sooner. ^_^ Sorry it's so short. T-T I'll try for longer chapters from now on if you guys want that. This chapter maybe a little weird to read since it switches between three characters' points of view at various places. =/ And before you ask I came up with the chapter title on the fly.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. I only own Kimiko, Oruku, Akachi, the fang of Kimiko's father and Kimiko's father. I'm not making any money for my work no matter how much time I put on the clock.

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Chapter 2: Rin, Get Back Here!

"Rin! Get back here this instant!" yelled the small toad youkai running after the young brown-haired human girl.

Sesshomaru allowed only the smallest twist of his lips into a smile as he watched Jaken chase after Rin. The human child was a weakness for him, he would admit that somewhat to himself, but he also did find her somewhat amusing. Anyone who didn't know him well would have missed the slight quirk of his mouth before it returned to its normal hard line. It had been more than two weeks since he had heard through the youkai grapevine of the fire at the panther taiyoukai's, Oruku's, mansion that had clearly been set by a, now where about unknown, inu youkai. He had spent the past two weeks trying to get information on the unknown inu youkai with no luck. Sesshomaru had never really liked Oruku or felt the need to aid him. He just wanted to know if the culprit was a possible enemy and threat to the Western lands. The lack of information was really starting to frustrate him to no end. One of Sesshomaru's biggest pet peeves is not knowing everything he needs to know. . . .

Rin ran laughing into the forest, Jaken following as close behind as he could. Rin knew the toad hated it when she did this and that added to the fun. She loved irritating Jaken because she knew Lord Sesshomaru wouldn't let him harm her and he was more amusing that way. Rin trailed her hand along the bark of a tree as she circled it, marveling in the feel of it under her fingers. She could live to be 100 and still marvel in the beauty of nature, where she had lived since her lord saved her. Rin paused with her small hand on the tree, put her other hand over her beating heart and closed her eyes sending a prayer of gratitude to the gods for allowing her to be by her lord.

The sound of a tree branch snapping caused Rin to jump and turn to face the direction it came from, eyes going wide with fear. Jaken was still trying to catch up to her and, as fast as she knew Lord Sesshomaru was, it would take him time to reach her if she cried out for him. Another branch snapped to reveal a tall, red-skinned, green-haired, yellow eyed, three horned ogre youkai, the kind that loves eating humans. Rin pressed her back against the tree trembling in fear at the sight of the ogre youkai that was at least twice Lord Sesshomaru's height. It would catch her if she tried to run before she could reach help, so all she could do was cower against the tree and hope it didn't notice her . . .

Kimiko crouched on an upper tree branch scanning the area closest to her. The hunt that she knew would be after her had yet to surface, but she had felt jaki near by and it was best to air on the side of caution. She detected three different sources of jaki: two were weak and would be easy to destroy if they came after her; the third one on the other hand was much stronger than the other two, clearly on the same level of power as her, a taiyoukai, and would be harder to deal with if they turned out to be foe. The two weaker youkai were closer to her than the other taiyoukai so she decided to investigate them. Kimiko launched herself from the branch toward the weaker youkai's locations. Her feet barely touched the next branch before she smoothly launched herself into the air again. She spotted one of the fairly weak youkai she had felt. The ogre youkai was reaching for a young girl who was cowering against a large tree.

Memories of what had happened to each and every one of her siblings sprang to the front of her mind filling her heart with anger. Kimiko leaped to the ground inserting herself between the ogre youkai and the child. A deep feral growl escaped her throat and she bared her fangs at him. "Why don't you go find something else to eat, Ogre?" She warned cracking her knuckles preparing to strike him down the moment he said the wrong answer. "Something older and maybe more wolf-like?"

The ogre laughed oblivious of the fact its life was about to be cut short. "Why should I? The younger the meat is, the more tender it is, and wolves are stringy and taste foul. Besides, I saw the human first so you get lost! It's my meal! Mine!"

Kimiko snarls at the ogre youkai: wrong answer. She launches herself at the ogre youkai moving faster than Rin's human eyes can follow. *(Here comes the previously mentioned scene of fairly graphic violence. If you do not wish to be disturbed by it please, skip to the next set of parenthesizes. A.k.a. these things() but with stuff between them.)* She rips out the ogre's throat with a single swipe of her claws. Crimson sprays from the gaping wound and the corpse falls in a heap to the forest floor. Kimiko looks at the corpse in disgust as she licks the blood from her claws. *(Okay you are now safely past the fairly graphically violent scene and can resume reading. If you did not skip to this set of parenthesizes and read the scene you are currently wasting your time reading this. If you meant to skip the scene but accidentally read it and were slightly traumatized you have my deepest apologies as that was not my intent.)* What a waste of energy and time. The ogre youkai should have recognized that she was the stronger youkai and backed off, but no! It had been too dumb for that! She finished cleaning her claws and with a humph turned away from it to focus her attention on the human girl.

Rin watched the female youkai's display of strength with amazement. The only one she had ever seen move like that before had been Lord Sesshomaru. She stood rooted in place with her back to the tree as the strange youkai turned her attention to her. Each looked at the other for a long time studying their counterpart. Rin noticed the female youkai had markings on her face and wrists like Lord Sesshomaru did: a single smooth dark blue stripe adorned each cheek and there was a reddish-orange sun on her brow. Her eyes and hair were unusual among humans in these lands, though Rin didn't know if that was true in the youkai world as well. Her eyes were blue like the sky and her hair with its golden color reminded Rin of sunlight. She was taller than any other woman she had seen before. Rin grinned widely at the other female when she tilted her head slightly to the side in a very canine like way.

"Thank you for saving me, Youkai Lady!" Rin calls out at last. She had saved her and had yet to show any sign of aggression toward her so she couldn't be a bad youkai.

Kimiko inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment to the child's words. The child's gap-toothed grin disturbed her more than a little. She was smiling at Kimiko the attacker of her attacker like she was some trusted friend. To show such trust in another so quickly was inconceivable to her. It left one much too vulnerable . . .

The smell of youkai blood on the wind from the direction Rin had run off in to play made Sesshomaru uneasy. He knew that Jaken had followed after the girl, but he knew the child could out run Jaken when she felt like it. He had observed more than enough of their footraces to see that. The damn girl was probably far enough ahead of Jaken that she was vulnerable and unprotected, and putting her young life in danger yet again. If he had his younger half-brother, Inuyasha's, ears they would be plastered to his skull right about now. His mask of indifferent boredom was still in place, but on the inside his mind was anything but that. He had been sensing the presence of a taiyoukai since that morning. That paired with the shed youkai blood now had his mind roiling with everything that could happen to an unguarded human child in a place like this. He caught Rin's scent and began to follow it.

When he found her, he would make sure she got it stuck in that brain of hers that when she wanders she was not to go off completely alone. She was entertaining to him. So why should he allow his entertainment to die on his watch?

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A/N: *sharp exhale* That's chapter 2. I know it's short and probably a little confusing the way I have it worded, but your opinions as the readers would be appreciated. Any kind of feedback would be appreciated even if you don't love this story so far. I won't put any threats about not posting the next chapter if you guys don't give me a set number of reviews any more since I'm not going to enforce it. You guys failed that with the last chapter.... Just seeing the hits and some subscribers is enough for now. I'll be posting chapter 3 whenever I finish writing it. It maybe a while since I haven't started it yet, but hang in there! I had to change the title of this chapter.... :(


	3. Chapter 3: Lord Sesshomaru, Correct?

Bark at the Moon

an Inuyasha fan fiction

By: Sakura Onna

A/N: This chapter took less time to write out than I thought it would. I was expecting it to take more than a week to get this chapter started much less finished. Thank God for study hall and not much else to do during it I guess. And yes that means exactly what it sounds like: I wrote the hand written copy of this in school over the past five days. Yay me for being so talented! Or so unwilling to use study hall for homework unless I have to. Which ever fits best. Thanks to those of you that have read the first two chapters already and are going to read this one because you like this story so far, but some actual comments for others besides just Gnarley and Tsubasa would be really great. I, like the next author down the road, like to hear what you the reader think. I want to know what you think will happen next, or your opinion on my characters. In other words I WANT SOME FEED BACK PEOPLE!!!!

disclaimer: I don't own any Inuyasha cast members not even Sesshomaru *sigh*. I do own Kimiko, Oruku, Akachi, Kimiko's father (whose name I will eventually put in instead), the weapon of the fang of Kimiko's father (previously mentioned in the story), the ogre youkai killed in the last chapter, Kimiko's markings (since they were 100% my idea), and maybe the butterflies Rin chases in this chapter. I am not making any money on this so I'm staying broke from buying anime and manga. Anyways on to the chapter!

Chapter 3: Lord Sesshomaru, correct?

Kimiko sat on the root of a tree watching the girl play amid the flowers in the clearing. This child was an enigma to her. She had never seen a human child before nor during her imprisonment had she seen many youkai children either. This girl smiled and laughed so frequently in the past few minutes chasing butterflies that she had lost track of their number. The amount of trust the girl was putting in her, a total stranger, was staggering to her. When Kimiko had been still a pup and equivalently her age mistrust and caution had already become second nature to her, and the only one she had ever trusted to this child's extreme had been her own father. . .

"Girl," Kimiko called out to Rin who paused in her play to give Kimiko her attention. The main note of her tone was boredom but Rin, from listening to the way Lord Sesshomaru spoke, also heard her curiosity.

"Yes, Youkai Lady?" Rin asked.

Kimiko wasn't sure if she liked Rin calling her that, but was glad the child was acknowledging her status at least. "Where is your protector? One as weak and small as you couldn't have made it this far in to the forest without one." She said turning her head to the side away from the girl.

Rin was only mildly offended by Kimiko's words: she did depend on the protection of others to survive. Before Rin could say a word in response a small green and brown bundle crashed through the brush falling on its face in to the clearing. Kimiko watched as the toad youkai picked itself up from the ground. So this was the other weak youkai she had been sensing. The toad youkai by itself wasn't much of a threat to anyone, clearly someone's servant, but the two-headed staff he carried was another story. Her father had trained her to recognise and identify the abilities of youkai made weapons when she was a pup, and as such she could tell that staff breathed fire hot enough to burn even youkai bones to ash.

"Master Jaken!" Rin exclaimed running forward and hugged the toad youkai much to the toad's chagrin.

"Let go of me you foolish girl!" The toad youkai, Jaken, squawked trying to wriggle out of the girl's embrace. "How dare you run off like that! Do you have any idea what Lord Sesshomaru would do to me if anything happened to you!?"

"But, Master Jaken, nothing happened to me! The Youkai Lady protected me from the ogre that tried to eat me," Rin replied innocently letting go a of stunned and gawking Jaken.

Jaken stared in horried disbelief at what Rin just said. The girl almost got herself eaten by an ogre youkai, and him killed because of it, and here she was chasing butterflies around the clearing like nothing had happened!? He was so stunned by that it took his brain a full five minutes to absorb Rin's reference to being saved by a female youkai. His large eyes then darted around the clearing looking to see if she was lingering nearby. His eyes widened as they landed on Kimiko who still sat on the tree root watching intently with her bored mask in place. The way she sat with her head slightly tilted toward them watching from the corner of her eye reminded him of Lord Sesshomaru. 'She must be an inuyoukai like Lord Sesshomaru,' Jaken thinks. 'But that mark on her forehead! It can't be! That clan went extinct over two centuries ago!'

Kimiko felt his presence before he neared the clearing: so he was the taiyoukai she had felt earlier. She looked past the toad youkai and the young human girl at the male inuyoukai that approached them. The other two were oblivious of him it seemed. He was dressed in white hakama with a white haori that had red detailing, armor adorned his chest and left shoulder, and draped from his right shoulder was a mokomoko, a fluffy white pelt that most of their species wore when in "human-form". His hair was long silver-white, eyes were golden, on his brow sat a blue crescent moon, on each cheek two red-violet stripes like her dark blue ones. All in all above average on the appearance level even for a youkai. Her eyes did another quick sweep of his tall frame and mentally nodded. He was clearly a son of the late Western inunotaisho's clan, perhaps one of the very sons of the Western inunotaisho himself. The mark on his brow meant that in the very least he was related to the one she had been searching for for the past two weeks.

Sesshomaru's step faltered for a split second when he spotted the female inuyoukai sitting only a few yards from where Rin stood squishing Jaken. She was the one he had been sensing all day. The mark on her brow made him pause. The House of the Sun, the clan of the late Eastern Lord, was supposed to be no more and yet she bore its mark. Could it be? Could one of the late Eastern inunotaisho's pups have survived the clan's destruction? Her coloring made it hard to doubt what family she was from, but if even one member of the House of the Sun still lived wouldn't he have heard about them by now? Even though he was often away from his family's ancestrial home he had one of the most extensive information networks in Japan. He always heard important information like that, but then again his sources had yet to produce anything of use about Naraku or the one that set the fire to Oruku's mansion so it was possible if she was of the House of the Sun for her to exist without his knowing of it. . . He stopped, hiding himself in a thick cluster of shadow, brush and trees to observe her for a time before he'd make his move.

Rin ran over to a spot just a few feet from Kimiko dragging a still stunned Jaken along with her. "Youkai Lady, this is Jaken! Jaken is Lord Sesshomaru's trusted servant! Jaken, this is Youkai Lady! Youkai Lady is strong and fast and nice and pretty like Lord Sesshomaru is! She saved me from the ogre youkai!" Rin gushed talking faster than the squirral from Hoodwinkedafter he's had a cup of coffee causing Jaken's already reeling mind to be even more chaotic and Kimiko to mentally smile and give an amused humph. The girl clearly admired and respected this 'Lord Sesshomaru' person from the way she spoke of him. This could be interesting if the male inuyoukai that was trying to hide his presence was Rin's Lord Sesshomaru.

"Tell me of this Lord Sesshomaru of yours. I don't think I've heard tell of him," Kimiko baited hoping that Rin, Jaken, or the observing male would spill some useful information about him.

Jaken was the first to respond to the rise snapping out of his shock. "Never heard of the great Lord Sesshomaru?! What are you, a mentally defective woman?! Even the smallest youkai child has heard of my Lord!" Jaken squawked and glared at the female inuyoukai.

Kimiko bristled at the insult to her intelligence and mental capacity and she thought of all the things she wanted to do to the toad youkai in that moment. The image of stabbing him with red hot pokers was flashing through her mind as a cold, cruel smile curled her lips reveling her fangs. Jaken squawked in sudden terror at the smile that somehow frightened him more than his Lord's; crossing this woman would shorten his life even more than getting on Lord Sesshomaru's nerves would. " F-f-forgive me, Lady!" Jaken stammered throwing himself to the ground and pressing his forehead to the ground silently graveling for his life.

Sesshomaru was annoyed and amused by Jaken's reactions to the female inuyoukai but more annoyed with her silent threat against his servant. How dare she threaten his servant! How dare she earn Rin's praise! None of them even knew who she was and she had already earned Rin's hero worship and Jaken's terror! That was more than enough insult to him for one day. He stepped out of his hiding place intent on putting the woman in her place and reclaiming his ward and servant.

"Jaken! Get up!" Sesshomaru bit out voice bored but with a touch of his anger. "Rin! Get over here!"

Jaken jumped up from the ground and ran to Sesshomaru's side with a hasty "Y-yes, Mi-lord!"

Rin ran to Lord Sesshomaru's other side with a happy "Lord Sesshomaru!"

When both were back by him, Sesshomaru placed his one hand on top of Rin's head in a possessive manner glaring at the female inuyoukai. Rin was _his _and that was what that gesture was meant to convey. Rin was _his _pup even if she wasn't of his loins. She was treading on his territory so she had better watch her step. "Who are you, woman?" Sesshomaru asked voice cold still glaring at her.

"You are Lord Sesshomaru, correct?"

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A/N : Wow this is shorter than the last chapter as far as the story itself is concerned. :( And it maybe even more confusing than the last too. . . BUT I can't tell since it's my own little messed up mind this is coming from so I really need so input on that. . . .And maybe get a beta at some point. Next chapter the events between Kimiko's father, Sesshomaru, and Sesshomaru's old man revealed along with some of Kimiko's personal past, and the ego wars really begin . Hopefully all this stuff isn't boring any of you to death already. :( Thanks once again to everyone whose been reading every chapter so far!!! 'Til next chapter my readers!!!!! Oh yeah! Feel free to let me know if I spelled any Japanese words wrong because most of them I'm guessing on their spelling or using one I've seen others use. What Japanese I know I learned from listening to Bleach and InuYasha anime in Japanese with English subs or over heard some of my friends saying.

~Sakura Onna


	4. Chapter 4: a few things revealed

Bark at The Moon

an Inuyasha fan fiction

By: Sakura Onna

A/N: This chapter is really short because I wrote it after I posted chapter 3, and as I was rereading what I had written I realized I cut chapter 3 off a bit too soon. BUT I am too lazy to add this into the end of chapter 3 now so here it is as its own chapter. Tell me what you think of it all since I can't read your minds. I repeat I CANNOT READ THE MINDS OF MY READERS! Thank you, CRdragonPyro, for your review and favoriting both me and my humble story. Thank you as well to gnarley who has been reading and reviewing this since the first chapter.

Disclaimer: This is the fourth chapter and I don't feel like repeating myself any more. What I own has not changed one bit nor has the fact that I am not earning money off this. No more putting in this thing! Onto the story!

Chapter 4: A Few Things Revealed

Her only response was a colder glare and slight narrowing of eyes from him.

"I'll take that as a yes then. I am searching for the elder of the Western Inunotaisho's sons. Before I state my identity, I would like to know what your relation to him is. I know from your mark that you are of the same clan as he." She replied matching his tone. If she had to, she'd force the information from him.

"What business is that of yours? Why do you seek the first son of Inunotaisho of the west?" Her evasion of his question increased his anger with this woman. The nerve of her! If she continued this, he would not be above harming the woman to get the information he wanted from her. What the hell did she want with him?!

Kimiko's eyes narrowed on Sesshomaru. How dare he?! He should be honored that she, the daughter of the late Eastern Inunotaisho, was even bothering to speak to him! Her anger was rising steadily as this encounter dragged on. Both remained silent and glared at the other in a contest of wills. Both were angered to the point of striking the other at the next offense they uttered. Rin looked from one to the other and back again. This was not what she had thought would happen when her savior and her lord met. She had thought Lord Sesshomaru would be grateful enough to be as kind to the woman that saved her as he was to her. Instead he was being mean and rude for no apparent reason. Rin saw the same concealed anger in them. The two stood with similar tense, stiff stances ready to violently lash out at the other. Rin liked the female inu youkai, and wanted peace between her and her lord. She wanted the female inu youkai to stay with them!

"Youkai Lady?" Rin asked nervously peeking out from behind Lord Sesshomaru's leg. (He stepped in front of her at some point between this chapter and the last one to shield her from Kimiko in case she turned violent.)

"Hn? What is it, girl?" Kimiko asked not taking her eyes from the male inu youkai, her voice marginally softer.

"What's your name? Mine is Rin!"

Kimiko blinked at the child's question and looked at her. What was the kid trying to pull? Did she really think she'd tell her that when she wouldn't tell her lord? Was the human girl really that trusting? She was distracted enough from Sesshomaru that she didn't notice him frown and glare down at Rin. "What would be your interest in that, girl?"

Rin blinked up at her innocently, "You saved my life, Youkai Lady. Doesn't that give me enough right to know your name?"

Kimiko blinked. The child did have a point.

'Damn it Rin!' Sesshomaru thinks angerly. ' Now you've done it! You just brought up and acknowledged a life debt with that damn woman and through you I'm indebted to her! (Mental growl) Now what the hell do I do?!'

Kimiko thought for a moment and blinked. The girl owed her her life and through the girl the lord. If worst came to worst, she could use that to her advantage against him. Therefore giving her name and clan would hold more benefits than problems. "Kimiko. I am Kimiko, the daughter of Yukimaru the late Eastern Inunotaisho, and last of the House of the Sun."

Sesshomaru's eyes became slightly wider than normal. If her words were true . . .

A/N: That's it for now. Next chapter will be a flash into the past! Please review and rate!


	5. Chapter 5: Reasons

Bark at the Moon

an Inuyasha fan fiction

by: Sakura Onna

A/N: Hello everyone! I know I'm a little later than normal on this but I hope it's good enough to make some amends. I got a little swamped with homework from school and I got caught up in reading Twilight for the first time XD I didn't think it was that interesting at first but it got better as I read and before I knew it I was already done with it. This chapter: a look into the past, tempers flare, and Kimiko finally asks for Sesshomaru's help. In her own little stubborn way. Anyways read on and see!

Chapter 5: Reasons

X Flashback X

Surrounded. They were surrounded, hundreds of leagues from home, stranded on the continent, and their army was dropping like flies under the on slot of the opposing army. For every foe slain three more seemed to spring up to take their place. Sesshomaru caught sight of his father's armor in the chaos of the battle. He fought his way through the ocean of attacking youkai to reach his father's side. Both of them were covered in blood, their enemies' as well as their own. Their army's moral was dropping like a stone with each and every fallen comrade. If things kept going the way they were they would all die in this foreign land. They needed a miracle and fast if they were gonna survive.

Toga grimly noticed that his son was attempting to cut a path through the enemy youkai army to him, but was struggling greatly. Toga sliced the enemies closest to him in half and moved to meet his pup halfway. A foe attempted to attack Sesshomaru's rear but was beheaded by Toga. Toga caught a glimpse of a flash of gratitude in his son's eyes before they turned to stand back to back and fight the enemy pressing in on them. Toga growled at the seemingly inexhaustible number of enemies before them and their dwindling number of troops. Even he could only fight for so much longer and he would reach he's limit. If only he had a sword that could kill . . . like a hundred youkai in one swing! That would make this situation a helluva lot easier to deal with that was for sure, but he had nothing of the sort.

'If Sesshomaru and I survive this I'll have to request that Totosai make me a sword like that immediately so I don't end up in a situation like this again.' Toga thought wryly as he killed two more enemies.

'A miracle! We need a miracle to survive this! Damn it, Father! I told you this was a bad idea, but did you listen?! NO! You thought that just because you still think of me as a pup I can't make good calls on stuff like this! Your stupidity is going to kill us all!' Sesshomaru thought with annoyance as he sliced the throat of yet another enemy.

As the pair were about to drop from exhaustion, a cry rose up from the enemy army, and it wasn't one of victory. The enemy closest to them turned to see what the ruckus was about then ran screaming in fear, but only managed to flee about five yards before they were sliced in half by members of the new army pressing in. The emblem on this army's armor was a spiral sun, a mark unfamiliar to both Toga and Sesshomaru. It seemed that the new army was only attacking the youkai of the continent. When the cry of fear the new army had drawn forth was heard Sesshomaru and Toga and both turned to try and spot the cause just as their enemies had, unintentionally exposing their backs in the process. A few of the continent youkai gave one last ditch effort to kill Toga and Sesshomaru by attempting to take advantage of that opening in their defense with an attack from behind. Before any blow could be struck though Sesshomaru saw a brief flash of gold and a soft growl followed by the sound of flesh being sliced open and the death screams of the last of the enemy. An order was issued to the spiral sun-marked army and weapons were lowered. Sesshomaru's legs shook with the effort to remain standing. Could these strangers really be trusted?

A man slowly approached Toga and Sesshomaru until he stood 15 feet away. He removed his helmet to reveal ice-blue eyes and riotous golden hair. His hair was multiple lengths like he cut it with a dagger whenever it got in his way. The longest part had to be a small segment in the back at shoulder length. On his brow rested a blood-red spiral sun and on his right cheek was an old jagged scar. In his right hand was a naginata held loosely that rested against his shoulder and tucked under his left arm was his helmet. He was clearly an inu youkai, one of the ones that didn't have stripes on their cheeks and wrists. He studied the father and son for a few moments, though he studied Sesshomaru more keenly, feeling a pang of jealousy.

"Rest you two. Me and mine are not here to fight you." he said in a low calm voice.

Before either Toga or Sesshomaru could say a word the golden haired inu youkai turned and walked away, barking order at his army about moving a mile or so east of the battlefield and setting up camp. Sesshomaru, Toga, and what was left of their own army were swept along with by the spiral sun-marked army. It was a few days after camp was set and the wounded, including Sesshomaru and Toga, were given a chance to heal that they were summoned to speak with him.

"I trust that your stay has been well?" The golden haired male inu youkai asked when they entered his tent. The tent was very moderate in its furnishing. He stood at a table brooding over a map, the naginata from before at his elbow resting against the side of the table.

Toga nodded,"Yes, quite well thank you. And thank you as well for aiding us. If you and your men had not arrived when you did, my son and I would most likely not be alive right now. We are both in your debt." With that Yoga bowed and when he saw out of the corner of his eye that Sesshomaru stubbornly remained standing straight he forced him into a bow with a hand between his shoulder blades.

Sesshomaru growled at his father in annoyance and swallowing his hurt pride asked, "May we know the name of the one we are indebted to, and what we can do to repay our debt?"

"Yukimaru. Yukimaru of the House of the Sun am I. As to the debt there is nothing at the moment that I would ask of you, but at some point in the future I or, if the debt has not been repaid before I die, my heir will call upon your aid in turn. It is then that your debts will be paid in full."

"Very well, Lord Yukimaru. In turn if I die before my debt to you is paid it shall be passed to my own son."

"Father!" Sesshomaru cried in outrage. He did not want his father's debt to Yukimaru on top of his own. Hell he didn't even want his own!

Yukimaru chuckled at Sesshomaru's reaction, "Better pray I call on your father's debt before he dies then, boy." Turning his head to Toga. "Besides that, I didn't say my heir would be a son. With the trend in my pups' life spans it is likely it will be one of my daughters who will take over my lands when I am gone. And by the gods I hope she isn't as proud and stubborn as your boy for every one's sakes."

A sad look had passed over Yukimaru's face as he said the last part.

X Flashback end X

If her words were true then he owed her his life through her father's act all those long years ago. Yukimaru had never asked to collect on his debt even though he collected in his father's. His father had been called in to aid Yukimaru in the last battle before Yukimaru was killed by his vassals. Sesshomaru had to admit to himself that he had been relieved a bit when word of the annihilation of the House of the Sun got out, as he wouldn't have to be forced to do anything he didn't want to just to pay off that debt. And now here before him was a lone survivor of the House of the Sun's destruction. Mixed emotions churned within him, but none of them showed on his face. Even though her marks were a bit different she did bare a resemblance to Yukimaru, as much of one as he did to his own father. A heavy sigh of resignation escaped Sesshomaru. What ever Kimiko had been searching him out for he would be honor bound to do. He was double indebted to her: the debt to her father that she inherited and her saving Rin.

"What is it you were searching this Sesshomaru for? I am the elder son of Toga, the late Western Inunotaisho, and I am the current Western Inunotaisho."

Kimiko blinked startled by the change in his attitude. A few moments ago he was being rude and aggressive, and now he was. . . . different. He seemed at least mildly approachable now. Was this really the man she had been looking for? She had heard of his loathing of humans, yet this one had a human traveling companion. Granted Rin was still just a child and still innocent of most of the ways of the world. If this was the taiyoukai she had spent the last two weeks searching for, what in the name of the gods had caused him to act against what he was well known for? If it was him, did this mean she actually stood a chance of getting his aid? Only one way to find out if it was him or not . . .

"Prove it. Prove to me you are who you say you are." Kimiko turned her head to the side looking at him from the corner of her eye. "Prove you are really Sesshomaru, elder son of Toga."

Red instantly began to bleed into the whites of his eyes, rage gripping him. His fangs began to elongate as his jaki increased. How dare she?! He was trying to be at least somewhat polite, and she doubts him and throws it back in his face?! Him?! The great and powerful Sesshomaru?! A deep growl escaped his throat. He had tried to rein in his anger earlier but now he gave it free rein. He was going to transform and show that damn woman just what it meant to piss him off. Tenseaga pulsed at his left hip trying to get his attention, but he ignored the slight change in the sword. The swords trembling and shaking increased to the point that even Jaken noticed it as Sesshomaru got closer to actually beginning to transform. A slight shiver ran up Kimiko's spine at the strength of his spirit. She realized that she just might have pushed him a bit too much. Finally through the fog of rage Sesshomaru did notice the trembling sword at his side and it gave him pause. It wanted something. As his attention focused on figuring out just what it was the sword wanted, his rage began to dissipate and his jaki to return to its normal level.

Jaken sat huddled against a tree shaking in fear of his lord's extreme anger. Rin had retreated behind a tree, her eyes wide, she had never seen Sesshomaru that angry before. Kimiko had stood her ground fighting against her instincts telling her to run during the whole time he was on the verge of transformation, the rumors had not done his strength justice, and now her body minutely trembled from the effort. She could not allow him to intimidate her, not if she wanted to get any respect from him in the future. She well knew that if she let him intimidate her now it would be as good as rolling over and playing dead because that would mean he was dominant over her from now on, and that was not something she could allow.

An idea came to Sesshomaru as he focused on deciphering the sword's desire. She wanted proof, well she was gonna get proof. Proof that would make her show the respect he deserved. Using his left hand he slid Tenseaga from his yellow and indigo sash and held it in front of himself. With his right he partially drew the sword from its sheath. The blade appeared like any other at first then it began to glow with a blue light. A smirk that was barely visible appeared at her startled face. His smirk would have widened when he noticed she was still recovering from the intensity of his jaki earlier if he didn't have such strong control over his expressions. "This sword was forged from the very fang of my father."

Kimiko struggled momentarily to rein in her facial features, this was not something she had expected after that much of his jaki being released, and she didn't trust her voice to not shake until she took multiple deep breaths. Then when she thought she had herself well enough under control again, "That is a sword of healing! It's probably able to even revive the recently dead as well as heal those still living." Her face was back to her mask of boredom but her voice betrayed her awe of the unusual blade. "That is an extremely uncommon weapon, one that a vast majority in this age would not desire. That is proof enough that you did not steal the sword."

Sesshomaru grimaced internally. She was better educated than most women even by youkai standards. "This Tenseaga blade was never wanted by this Sesshomaru." He snapped the sword fully back into its sheath and returned it to its place at his side. Bitterness had slightly tinged his tone.

She remembered the tales she had been told of Toga before her father's death, the one's of his swords, one of healing and one of destruction. So that was the healing one.

"You are his son," it came out as a humbled whisper but both inu taiyoukai heard it clearly. She completely turned her head away from him and her golden hair fell over her shoulder hiding her face from Rin, Jaken, and Sesshomaru. She had heard the bitterness but that was not something for her to concern herself with. "The sword is proof enough."

Sesshomaru was silent for a long moment after her quiet words. It wasn't a sign that she knew who was boss but it was a sign that she would probably show a degree more respect toward him. A mild wave of irritation ran through him as he realized she had dodged yet another of his questions. "You never answered me: Why were you looking for me?"

It was Kimiko's turn to be silent as she tried to order her thoughts. Both of them had already tread on thin ice with the other and, though they were both composed and calm for the most part, it could take just one wrong word or phrase to set one of them off. _Namely him_. A sigh escaped her lips before she began to answer." As I already said my father, Yukimaru, was the late Eastern Lord. 250 years ago his vassals betrayed and killed him-"

"So you want revenge? That has nothing to do with me. Go seek the real culprits." Sesshomaru interrupted her with a flick of his wrist in dismissal making sure that the dismissal was clear in his tone. She was better educated than most women, but she was still a foolish woman.

A growl rumbled in her throat as her head snapped back to facing him. The fierce determination and anger at his words that burned within her and blazed in her blue eyes with such intensity that it was almost enough to make him take a step back even though it didn't show an ouch in his face or eyes. She continued, "I want what is mine! Killing each and every one of those faithless traitors is just an added pleasure that can wait. They on the other hand will not wait to try to slay me like they did my father. This will be an all out war. I need allies. I need information. I need to find the naginata of my father's fang. That is why I sought you out, Lord Sesshomaru."

A/N: Hope you all liked this chapter! Let me know what you think! My thanks to all of you who have been reviewing so far. All of your comments have been appreciated. Cookies to all of ya! My updates maybe irregular from now on just to warn you. I don't think I'll be able to keep up with weekly updates anymore with school becoming more stressful and not being able to use study hall to write this as much now due to homework I can't get to at home. Next chapter: not quite decided yet, but started by a couple sentences!

Sakura-Hime


	6. Chapter 6: Let's Make a Deal

Bark at the Moon

an Inuyasha fanfiction

by: Sakura Onna

Chapter 6: Let's make a Deal

Sesshomaru blinked as he lifted his head to look at the overcast sky that promised rain later in the day. Her words had reminded him of Kagura, the wind sorceress, when she tried to convince him to aid her in her betrayal of the vile Naraku two years ago with the bribe of two Shikon jewel shards. He had told Kagura that if she wasn't strong enough to rebel on her own than she shouldn't rebel at all. He had no interest in the jewel shards and no personal interest in the situation. The problem created with the female inu youkai Kimiko was a bit different though. Her little war held the whole of the youkai lands in the backlash no matter the outcome of it. With the coming turmoil in the Eastern lands, the greedy lords of the northern and southern lands will be poised waiting to scoop up the eastern lands the moment it appears its weakest and add them to their holdings. That in turn would shift the balance of power among the four lords of the lands causing a giant civil war between the youkai. Having the humans constantly going after each other was bad enough to deal with on a daily basis. This fight over the eastern lands was going to be a nightmare.

'At least her attempt to convince this Sesshomaru to aid her gave this Sesshomaru information that would have taken weeks for this Sesshomaru's informants to find out.' Sesshomaru thinks as he impassively watches one section of the clouds swirl above. 'And she was the one that set Oruku's mansion on fire.'

Rin sat on Ah-Un's back watching as her lord stared silently into space for a few moments then turned away to stare at the ground by her dirty bare feet. They had stopped for a break and Sesshomaru sat atop a boulder much too high for her or Jaken to climb up, granting him some degree of separation from the other two, but that didn't stop Jaken from whining louder to try to get the silent taiyoukai to say something. Rin ignored both not really even acknowledging their presence. Rin had refused to talk for the past week because Lord Sesshomaru had refused to aid Lady Kimiko or even thank her for saving Rin. Rin was more than a little mad and disappointed in Lord Sesshomaru for it. What made Rin even more upset was that Lord Sesshomaru didn't even ask Rin why she was upset and refused to talk to anyone. Rin wanted Lady Kimiko with them right now. She was sure Lady Kimiko would have noticed Rin's sulk and inquired about it by now instead of ignoring her like Lord Sesshomaru was doing. Rin's stomach rumbled in hunger but she ignored it.

"Rin," Sesshomaru called to the girl turning to look at her. His brows slightly furrowed when she didn't acknowledge that she heard him. Her stomach rumbled again, but still the girl made no sign of noticing. Sesshomaru repeated the girl's name a bit louder than the first time. Maybe she did not hear him? "Rin." Again she made no sign of hearing. Impatience rose in him and he allowed a bit of his displeasure to creep into his tone as he barked out the child's name. "Rin!"

Rin jumped at the turn in her lord's voice and looked up at him with slightly wide eyes, but remained silent.

"Rin, if you are hungry, you should eat," Sesshomaru tried to soften his harsh angry voice a bit once he had Rin's attention. Usually that was all he needed to say to get the kid to take care of herself, but her response this time worried him.

"No! I'm not hungry!" Rin pouted crossing her arms around her small chest even though her stomach rumbled yet again not even a second later belying her words.

Though it didn't really show on his face, Sesshomaru was frowning in his mind at Rin's recent behavior. Rin had not spoken a word to him, Jaken, or the two-headed horse like dragon youkai Ah-Un until just now since he had said basically the same thing to Kimiko as he had Kagura. He was starting to feel truly concerned for his adopted pup. She was acting so unlike herself now. Normally she would be talking so much that she drowned out Jaken's constant whining and was such a happy child that this change was unsettling for the taiyoukai . . .

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Kimiko sat with her back against the trunk of a tall tree near a river glaring death at the water both hands folded in the sleeves of her haori. His callous words echoed in her ears: "If you are not strong enough to succeed on your own, don't even bother trying at all." A growl escaped her throat and her fingers dug into the fabric of her sleeve wanting to destroy something. He hadn't even said anything in the way of thanks for saving the girl who clearly held importance to him. The way he had placed his hand on top of her head reminded Kimiko of how her father had done the same thing whenever she was with him when he spoke to other taiyoukai; especially when it was one of the other high lords of the lands or one of the taiyoukai whose allegiance changed as frequently as the wind. She remembered quite clearly just how protective her father had been of her, his only pup to live past its second year of life. She remembered that she had a lot of brothers and sisters, but couldn't remember any of them as clearly as the youngest two. The thought of her two youngest siblings sent a wave of pain through Kimiko's chest and distracted her, for now at least, from her anger with Sesshomaru. She closed her eyes and allowed her head to fall back hitting the tree trunk as the memory came fully back to the surface once again. They had been killed less than 24 hours after Yukimaru in the attack on their palace.

X Flashback X

'Father is dead not even a day yet and the lesser lords already turn their sights on the household,' Kimiko, who looks to be no more than thirteen years old but in truth is already much older, thinks as she crouches near the shoji screen that opens to the family room waiting for the first of the attackers to come. The sounds of weapon clashing against weapon and the smell of blood fill the air, soon they would be to her position. Behind her, her last brother and sister cower in a corner holding on to each other in fear, and beneath the sounds of combat she can hear their terrified whimpers. Kimiko's stance shifts to an even more defensive one. It was her self-appointed duty to protect them if it was the last thing she did. Her father would want her to look after them now that he was gone.

"Mizuki, Kazuki, I won't let them lay a claw or fang on you. Stay as far back as you can at all times. If it seems that I am going to fall, I want the two of you to run as far away as you can and hide. Is that understood?"

Kimiko heard the twin boy and girl whine an affirmative to her command though whether they could obey or not would be soon discovered. Moments after she had given her command to the motherless twins the first of the attackers smashed through the shoji screen. Kimiko snarled and slew the youkai with little effort and the next two came followed by four more and so forth. Soon Kimiko was surrounded and hard pressed to defeat the foes. As she killed two more with her claws, she caught a glimpse of movement to the side. She turned to face it just in time to catch a right hook to the side of her face and get knocked off her feet and sent airborne for a few seconds. She landed impacting hard enough into a column for her to see black spots. The twins cried out in pure horror and terror in that moment seeing their older sister, their only line of defense, fall to the floor in a semi-limp heap unintentionally drawing the attacking youkai's attention to them. Horror shot through Kimiko as she saw the youkai turn on her little brother Kazuki and sister Mizuki and she struggled to regain her feet. Before Kimiko could raise her claws again, the twins were already no more just like Yukimaru. Even though Kimiko knew this from the smell of the blood she was still compelled to fight toward them, slay the attackers, as if, if she could do so it would put things back the way they were supposed to be. Tears blurred her eyes as she fought the horde, fought until blood lose had knocked her unconscious.

"What should we do with the pup that still lives? Keeping her alive will do us no good in the future. I say we kill her now and save us the trouble later," she heard a voice say as she came back to the waking world an unknown amount of time later.

"No. She stays alive. You hear me! She is the only one that lived past the second year and nears maturity. There must be something unique about her blood that none of the other of Yukimaru's pups inherited. She has more uses if kept alive than dead. No one may lay a finger on her without my say so. I am the strongest of the vassals of that weak fool Yukimaru so it's only natural that I become the new Lord of the East. Oruku, you shall keep an eye on the girl in the years to come. Is that clear?" a different voice spoke. A vague familiarity came with that voice and then it hit her just seconds before Oruku spoke.

"Yes, Lord Bakusui," Oruku replied though his voice was sullen and unhappy with his new duty . . .

X End Flashback X

Kimiko slowly opened her eyes to stare into the distance. Tears silently ran down her face leaving twin trails of salty water on her cheeks. She had never carried any ill will toward any of her brothers and sisters, not even the half-breeds, because they had all been important to Yukimaru, and yet they were all gone to dust. She failed to look after and protect them all. She had failed her duty as the eldest to protect the younger ones. Now she was alone in this fight and without even a weapon besides her claws and fangs to rely on. She had no army, no pack, nothing but herself . . .

Kimiko's nose burned from the scent of the salt in her own tears forcing her to take notice of them. She roughly scrubbed them away trying to erase the evidence of her weakness and pull herself together. She couldn't afford this weakness and vulnerability. Soon Oruku and Bakusui's hunting parties would catch up to her and she had to get moving once more. Focusing her mind on the safer emotion of her anger at Sesshomaru's harsh words she leaped from the tree and began to run further in a westward direction away from the youkai hunting her and further into the Western lands.

---------------

Rin decided she couldn't take being near Lord Sesshomaru any more and snuck off when it seemed he and Jaken were paying the least attention to her. Now Rin picked her way through the rocky landscape near a gorge working her way in a mostly eastern direction, back the way the group had traveled over the past week. It didn't mean much of anything at the moment to Rin that she was pretty much defenseless without the others. She couldn't focus on that or go back if she wanted to find the person she was looking for. Rin had to find Lady Kimiko again, she was bound and determined to. Too focused on her goal Rin didn't notice the group of lightly armored youkai that circled her and watched her every move until they had her trapped in the living net they formed. When Rin finally saw the circling youkai, she knew there was no way she could escape them no matter how fast she ran. A scream of fear escaped Rin's throat before she could think about the implications of it . . .

--------------

Unease ate at Sesshomaru's insides as he tried to catch his missing pup's scent with no luck. She had been missing for over three hours and the thoughts of what could happen to a small unprotected child kept creeping into his mind along with guilt. If he had paid a bit closer attention to her, this wouldn't have happened. What was making matters worse was that he could sense two fairly large concentrations of jaki coming from the southeast and northeast. They were clearly two groups of youkai made up of at least ten members each meaning they were either two packs or they were hunting parties. Either way if Rin had gone eastward, she would be bound to run into one of those two groups.

"Wait! East?" Sesshomaru said in sudden realization to no one in particular even though Jaken looked up at him uncomprehending until Sesshomaru continued his thoughts. "Rin started acting strange after that encounter with that female inu youkai Kimiko. If she was going to try to find that woman she would have gone east to retrace our steps. Shit!"

Sesshomaru loosed a growl and immediately took off to the southeast hoping to find Rin before that group of youkai did.

---------------

Kimiko sensed both groups of youkai chasing her trying to catch her in a pincer formation and head her off at the same time. The group closest to her was toward the north of her by about a mile, much too close for comfort, but something seemed to have caught their attention. That would have been fine with her and she would have continued to run if her sensitive ears had not heard the terrified scream of a child. A human child whose voice sounded too familiar for comfort. Kimiko almost instantly switched directions and ran toward the position the north hunting group. She would not let another pup die because of her even if he didn't thank her or aid her for it.

She wove between the rocks that rose up from the earth, casting a spell to mask her scent. She spotted the first of the youkai and pounced on her crushing her neck before she could make a sound. One of the other youkai saw Kimiko's attack on the now dead female youkai and shouted an alert to the others . . .

---------------

What remained of the south eastern hunting party was nothing but a pile of gore at Sesshomaru's feet and on his claws and scattered around the surrounding area. A growl of annoyance escaped his throat. Rin hadn't come this way at all. He had just wasted precious time on a group of weaklings that had not been worth the fight. He turned to the north toward the other group. He could feel clashes in jaki from that direction and the strongest jaki which was rising higher by the second felt familiar: Kimiko. If Kimiko was in that direction fighting that group, it was more than reasonable his pup was there too. Faster than the human eye can follow Sesshomaru runs in the direction of the fight.

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Three more of the hunting party lay dead on the ground each kill more gruesome than the last. A fairly large panther youkai charges Kimiko as she dodges the swing of a sword by a horse youkai. She grabs the panther in passing and throws him over the edge of the gorge head first, a sickening crunch follows. The panther does not rise ever again. Another inu youkai tries to sever Kimiko's legs but gets a roundhouse kick to the face smashing its nose into its brain cavity. The horse tries again to slash her but she removes its sword arm with a swipe of her claws then its head goes rolling across the ground. Twin kitsune attack Kimiko one trying to create an opening for the other. As she dodges the one and grabs the other and throws it into the first she sees the tenth youkai circle close to Rin a naginata in his hands. Yukimaru's naginata, Shunken no Kyuuten, was in his hands to be exact. The twin kitsune collide and fall to the ground. When they begin to rise and see Kimiko's reddened eyes and feel a sudden spike in her jaki, pure terror runs through them and they flee the bloodied rocky ground not so far from the gorge. Their lord could order them to go after her all he wished but they would never obey such an order again. Oruku could go to hell for all they cared now.

The last youkai had remained in the background during the time Kimiko fought the other nine members of the hunting party sent by Oruku to capture or kill her. He now stepped forward a bit to challenge her thinking he would have an easy victory against her. Kimiko snarled barely retaining her humanoid form. Her stripes on her cheeks were jagged, and the whites of her eyes were infused with red surrounding the blue of her irises. This youkai had been there in the attack on her home all those years ago. He was one of the ones that had killed her brother and sister and escaped her claws that day. He would get his just desserts now. She stepped forward to meet his challenge wiping away some of the splattered blood from her face. Soon he would join the others in hell.

They stood facing each other from not twenty feet away each thirsting to spill the other's blood. Only one would walk away alive from this fight.

"I could never understand why Lord Bakusui let you live. I warned him what would happen, but he ignored reason. Now I will rectify his mistake and kill you like I wanted to all those years ago. After I crush you like the insignificant bug you are, I'm gonna drag your dead body back to Lord Oruku to do with as he sees fit, and to see the look on our foolish Lord of the East's face." The last youkai said practically rubbing his hands together in his eagerness a smile spread from ear to ear. "The kid will make a very good snack after I'm through with you."

"We'll see about that vermin!" Kimiko spat like venom at the youkai.

After her words were spat out they both went into fighting stances. They circled trying to find an opening in the others defense to make the first strike. The youkai had his tongue hanging out of his mouth as if he was savoring his victory over Kimiko before he even had it and was licking his lips as if he was licking away her blood from his face. Kimiko kept her eyes more focused on the Shunken no Kyuuten which he had at the ready to jab at her at any moment. She had to fight with her wits and not let her rage get the better of her. Due to the youkai having the Shunken no Kyuuten in his possession he had a much greater attack range than her in her unarmed state. She couldn't just flat out go wild and straight out attack him unless she wanted to lose and get severely injured. Yukimaru had taught her better than to do something so stupid as that. She would have to wait for him to attack then block his attack and counter attack in one step followed by a placing of distance between them.

The youkai let out a loud grunt as he swung the Shunken no Kyuuten towards Kimiko's chest in a slashing motion. Kimiko blocked the attack by trapping the pole of the Shunken no Kyuuten between her side and left arm and then held onto the pole with her hand. With her free hand she sliced across the youkai's hips with her razor sharp claws. The youkai backed away as Kimiko kicked him back to get away from the blade of the Shunken no Kyuuten. The youkai let out a small cry of pain from the wound she had inflicted on him. While holding the Shunken no Kyuuten about half way up the pole in front of him making feeble jabs at Kimiko, he placed his hand across the wound checking the amount of damage. The cut was deep and he could feel some of his guts trying to escape from the ripped open hole in his abdomen. When he made another feeble jab at Kimiko she kicked the pole of the Shunken no Kyuuten making it fly out of his hand landing several yards away. Kimiko came right behind the kick with a downward slash from upper chest all the way past the first slash removing most of some of his fingers from the hand that had been pressed to the first wound in the process. The youkai instantly pressed his other hand against the first and the place his guts were trying to spill out of the most while blood poured from the large gaping wound, and forgot about Kimiko.

With the combination of the upper and lower slash his stomach area had been opened wide and his guts were starting to come out of the large wound. The youkai bent forward doing his best to keep his guts inside him. Kimiko noticed a spiked piece of chest armor from one of the other youkai she had already killed earlier on the ground not too far behind the wounded youkai, and an idea came to her. She swept the feet out from under the youkai making him fall to the ground on his back. The youkai did his best to slide backwards away from Kimiko as he lay on the ground. Kimiko watched the youkai's weak attempt at fleeing impassively and waited for him to move passed the area where the spiked armor lay. She kept pace with the wounded youkai easily and just to taunt him and give him even move pain, she kicked him in the side from time to time. Blood spurted up from the youkai's wound each time she did so. A wicked grin almost curved her lips as she watched the youkai's blood run. Almost. The youkai continued trying to escape in vain. When he was close enough for her liking Kimiko when over to the body and ripped the spiked chest armor off of it and set it in her hands so the spikes were outward then returned to where the wounded youkai lay. She may as well make some use of the fool.

The youkai started to cough and with each cough blood began to come up with each and every one. He knew he had to get away from her in order to survive and heal. No youkai let its victims live after injuring them like she had. Sure enough she came to stand over him with the spiked armor in her hands and one foot on either side of him. She aligns the armor over his lower wound and stabs down with the armor piercing his hands and organs then sits on him so that part of her weight is on the spikes and holding down his legs. Part of the armor is under her making it almost impossible for him to try to push up on the armor and remove it. A loud cry of pain and a large splatter of blood came from the youkai. The youkai was trapped and he was completely defenseless to stop Kimiko from doing whatever she wanted to him and from killing him on the spot. She was going to kill him yet though she wanted answers to some questions first. Blood was pooling beneath them on the ground as it spurted out of his wounds.

"Who were the ones that killed my father? Where did you get Father's naginata, Shunken no Kyuuten?" She asked in a tight growl restraining from the killing blow. "Why did you have to kill the pups even though they were too young to be any kind of threat?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." The youkai responded.

"Not good enough. Do not play dumb with me."To try to force the answers out of the youkai Kimiko squeezed her knees tighter on the youkai's sides while pushing down on the spiked armor with her hands digging the spikes deeper into his squished up guts. A loud bellowing scream came from the youkai along with a large gush of blood from the wounds and from his mouth. The youkai grunted while trying to catch his breath and clear his throat of the blood to try to keep from drowning in it. She squeezed her legs again to show she was not playing around. "Are you going to tell me the truth now?"

"I'm not going to tell you anything you bitch," The youkai said. "You may as well just kill me. Go on and do it or let me go, damn you!"

Kimiko grabbed a hold of his throat. He was making it very difficult for her to maintain her control. She wanted answers but she wanted to kill him just as badly. Her rage had not subsided one bit. She was not about to let this piece of filth go so he could heal and harm other defenseless beings. She was not going to let a child killer go, not when he had harmed those that meant the most to her. He was going to die one way or another. Either she'd finish him off or she'd make sure he bled out like a stuffed pig.

-----------------

Rin had hid behind one of the scattered boulders when Kimiko and the youkai had started to circle each other. She stayed behind the boulder hoping Kimiko was the one winning the fight. She could look around the boulder to see what was happening but was too afraid.

----------------

The first thing Sesshomaru noticed as he approached the area of the second group was the twin kitsune as they ran past him. They stank of blood and fear, but there was an under note that came from them that allowed him to ignore them for now: Kimiko. They had fought her and were now taking the smart path by running. They clearly valued their lives over their taiyoukai's orders. He continued closer to where he felt the concentration of jaki. The next thing he noticed was the corpses of the youkai Kimiko had killed and the blood soaked ground he walked on. Finally it was the two youkai on the ground that were still alive in the distance that he noticed. As he drew closer, he saw that it was Kimiko who straddled the youkai on the ground.

-----------------

"Tell me what I want to know!" Kimiko growled to the youkai with much more anger and force in her voice.

"With one of my last breaths I draw the answer is: Go to hell!" The youkai shouted as best as he could in her face.

With that Kimiko came to the conclusion that he was not going to tell her anything and that he was of no use any more. Even while facing death he was keeping the information she wanted to himself. No wonder he had her father's naginata. Kimiko had enough of this. She dug into his throat with her claws and drew them from one side of his throat to the other. The youkai's wind pipe burst out of his throat with what remaining blood he had in him. Kimiko got off the dead youkai and walked over to where her father's naginata was laying and picked it up. She was covered in blood from all the fighting and killing she had done. She held the Shunken no Kyuuten before her and inspected its condition. It seemed that it had been pretty well taken care of over the past 250 years. Sunlight gleamed off the blade bringing back memories of her father and her.

Yukimaru had trained her in the art of combat personally, never trusting anyone else enough to do it and not kill her in the process. He trained her in every weapon he could think of from bow and arrow to ax and from sword to kusarigama and even war fan. Yukimaru had hovered multiple times when she had spared with others. He had brought her with him a few times when he went on campaigns, including one to the continent in the west. She remembered his pride when she mastered each weapon, even more so with the interest she had shown in the naginata she now held in her hands, and her desire to learn of it as well. Yukimaru had gotten it forged by Totosai only a few days before she had wanted to work with it. Before then he had used a regular youkai made naginata that was not all that special. This weapon had been forged of Yukimaru's fang to protect her and her brothers and sisters . . .

Sesshomaru moved to walk passed the bloody corpse of the youkai she had just killed and she snapped out of her memories. A growl escaped her throat and she swung around to face him. Sesshomaru noticed that she was close to transforming still and froze. That partially explained why her jaki was so high and made even him wary and the hair on his arms stand on end. She was stronger than she had seemed the last time he encountered her. She saw that it was Sesshomaru and lowers the Shunken no Kyuuten marginally though she was wary of him. She didn't quite trust herself right now to not run him through to for his callous words before and for leaving Rin alone and vulnerable yet again. He clearly wasn't doing that great a job keeping the girl safe and was being a failure as a guardian for her.

Sesshomaru remained silent as he waited for the female inu youkai to calm and say something. She had fought the youkai that would have harmed his pup and protected her in his failure. If she had not been there, Rin would surely be dead right now. This was the second time Kimiko the daughter of Yukimaru had saved Rin for him without even being asked or having to do so. She had saved Rin even after he had told her he wouldn't aid her in her war. Was she that much of a gentle nature? No, no one of the gentle nurturing nature could do that much damage and kill so easily, but she was female and women do operate a bit differently than men even among youkai. Is it her desire for revenge that lets her fight so? Even though he wouldn't say so he had been impressed by her skill. He remembered that naginata from all those years ago back when that life debt to her father was created: it had been Yukimaru's back then. Oddly enough the weapon looked like it fit more in her and her hands than it had in her father and his hands.

Kimiko glared at Sesshomaru and her grip on the Shunken no Kyuuten increased. She was not impressed with his double failure with the girl. If she hadn't heard the child's scream and gone to her, Rin would be dead right now. He was clearly not the type who could handle having a growing child near them. Sesshomaru was as his name meant: killing perfection. Too bad she needed to have someone for an ally and he was still the best candidate. There was only one other way she could think of to get his aid. She slowly allowed part of her anger to disperse and her eyes to return to normal. Shunken no Kyuuten also radiated a slight comforting warmth into her hands almost in encouragement as well as welcome. If worst came to worst she was now on a more equal footing with him now that she had her father's fang.

When she thought she was in enough control she called out to the child," Rin! It is safe now. Your lord is here for you."

A slight frown that most wouldn't see played at the corners of Sesshomaru's mouth at her words as the girl popped up from behind a boulder and came running toward them. Rin hesitated for a few seconds when she was a few feet from the both of them trying to decide who she wanted to go to the most, but in the end it was Kimiko the girl ran to and hugged around the waist. Kimiko managed to get the blade of the Shunken no Kyuuten out of the way before the girl practically jumped on her. Sesshomaru's hands clenched into fists for a few moments at the sight of his pup hugging a strange youkai so happily. Rin had never hugged him like that.

"Lady Kimiko!" Rin cried happily as she hugged Kimiko, oblivious of Sesshomaru's reaction to it. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine, little one. What of you?"

"Rin is unhurt. Lady Kimiko came before they could hurt Rin." Rin released Kimiko as she said that. When she glanced down at herself to say something else, she noticed the blood on her and her clothes. Rin's eyes widened. "Lady Kimiko! There's blood! Are you sure you're not hurt, Lady Kimiko? "

Kimiko sighed as she tried to clean a bit of the blood from Rin's face. "It isn't mine. Most of it came from the wretch that had my father's fang."

Kimiko's action and the softening of her voice to speak to Rin reminded him a bit of how his mother was when he was a boy, and that thought disturbed him a bit.

"Gah! The only way this blood is going to come off completely is if there's a river involved! You just had to find the thickest concentration of it!" Kimiko muttered loud enough for both the human child and taiyoukai to hear. "Lord Sesshomaru, if you do not mind I'll have to borrow the girl to get her clean enough for an inu youkai nose to handle. After that I need to speak with you."

"Hmph. Do as you wish." Sesshomaru stated blandly turning away from the pair, he needed a bit of time to himself to think anyways.

-------------

Kimiko found the closest stream and took Rin there. They bathed in the cool water and Kimiko did her best to get the blood out of both their clothes before setting them on a sun bathed rock to dry. Kimiko unintentionally found herself trying to get every speck of blood out of her golden hair when Rin took a portion of it and braided it.

"What do you think you're doing, girl?" Kimiko asked as she pulled the hair Rin was braiding out of her grasp and narrowed her eyes.

Rin instantly started pouting, "I was making your pretty hair even prettier, Lady Kimiko. It's such a shiny and warm color like sunlight!"

Kimiko rolled her eyes and undid the braid Rin had done before she went back to cleaning her hair, "Everyone says that but I fail to see what's so significant about it. My father had the same color hair so it can't be that special."

"And your eyes are like the sky in summer when there isn't a cloud in the sky!"

"Again I've heard that plenty of times and don't see what the big deal is."

Rin pouted even more, she wanted to do something to make Kimiko's hair shine like the heavenly body it reminded her of a cause Sesshomaru to at least try to get to know Kimiko.

Kimiko paused in her washing as she thought of Mizuki, and how she always played with her hair, and Kazuki always hanging on her left sleeve when Yukimaru wasn't around. What harm would it do to let someone mess with her hair again? "Alright. You can braid my hair on one condition: I'm the one who says if you're clean enough to get out of the stream."

Rin let out a happy cry and instantly began putting Kimiko's hair into multiple braids.

----------------

Sesshomaru stood with his back to a tree just in hearing range of the stream where the two females bathed listening to them. Kimiko and Rin were clearly already starting to form a bond. For that he would hear whatever it was she wanted to say to him instead of just brushing her off and leaving with Rin. Rin had already shown that if she wasn't given a fair voice that she would do something really stupid that would hurt him in the end.

---------------

They finished the bath and dressed. The braids felt strange in Kimiko's hair but she left them in to keep from hurting the child's feelings. Kimiko tracked Sesshomaru via his scent and his jaki to a small clearing in a forest far enough from the battle field that the stench of blood wouldn't offend the sensitive noses of the two inu youkai, but close enough to still be findable. Sesshomaru sat at the base of a tree staring at the sky and watched as clouds began to mar the sky here too when they walked into the clearing. The wind gently blew Rin and Kimiko's scents to him putting him on alert as he tried to ignore that Kimiko's scent reminded him a bit of some long forgotten memory of comfort from many years ago. Kimiko's booted feet made a lot less noise on the grass than Rin's bare feet. Sesshomaru waited until the females stopped in front of him before he turned from the sky above to run a critical eye over Rin's appearance. Rin had been cleared up well, better in fact than he ever actually remembered her being. Then his gaze turned to Kimiko and for the first time he noticed just how dark her clothing was. The haori she wore was the same dark blue color as the stripes on her cheeks and wrists with even darker blue patterns on it. Her hakama may as well be black with how dark it was, he couldn't even tell with his sharp eyes what color besides black it could be. The only light colors she wore were her obi of light blue with orangish-red at the ends. He also noticed that she looked no older than a 17-year-old human. She had to be at least 50 years younger than him.

Kimiko noticed Sesshomaru's scrutiny of her and held her words in check to see what he would have to say first.

Sesshomaru took a few deep breaths and blinked a couple times to regain his slightly lost focus. When he felt he had himself enough in check he spoke. "You saved Rin yet again even though this Sesshomaru already told you this Sesshomaru will not help you with your war. Why?"

Kimiko averted her eyes a bit, "Children are something that should be cherished and protected by their elders. Too many die due to the lacking of the elders upholding their duties. It doesn't matter if the child is human, youkai, or hanyou."

"What did you wish to say to this Sesshomaru?"

"A proposal. The kind that would benefit the both of us."

"Is that so?" Sesshomaru asked suspicious.

"You scratch my back, and I scratch yours. In other words you help me take back my family's lands, and I'll help you bring down your enemies. It's a win-win scenario."

"Are you trying to bargain with this Sesshomaru?" He was stunned by her audacity.

"Yes. There must be some foe that has proven quite the thorn in your side that you want to get rid of. My strength could be all you need to bring them low. So what do you say, Lord Sesshomaru?"

The images of Inuyasha and Naraku instantly came to mind at her words. If she could be of use in killing those two insolent bastards . . . it just might be worth his time and energy to help her kill a few taiyoukai. She just might be strong enough to handle those two.

If he was anyone else, he would have smirked as he said his next words, "Very well, a deal it is, Lady Kimiko the daughter of Yukimaru."

* * *

A/N: Finally Sesshomaru and Kimiko have teamed up and the breaking of barriers can begin. :rubs hands together: Sorry it took so long to get this up. I hit a snag trying to write the fight scene between Kimiko and the youkai that had her father's naginata, and I've been sick for like the past week. I still have an annoying cough from it. I've been wanting to write the scene about the day Kimiko's family was annihilated since I first made her in my mind. Please don't hate me for the deaths of innocent youkai children! Longest chapter to date! I'm gonna be looking for a beta for this and one of my other stories so if any of you are interested let me know! I hope I didn't make Sesshomaru OOC at the end of this. -_-" Sorry if anyone found the sneak peek chapter annoying it's a very rough piece of work that I really have to sit down and think over really hard. Thank you, CRdragonPyro and gnarley-, for your extreme patience with this Sakura Onna and support. This chapter goes to you all! Tell me what you think of this chapter. Review if you hate it. Review if you like it. And before anyone asks I deleted the poll about the sneak peek chapter's story and it isn't coming back. Also I know the way Kimiko gets the naginata wasn't on that poll, I just got this idea from my dad of all people. The naginata's name is Shunken no Kyuuten if that wasn't made clear enough in the chapter. If I'm thinking right it should roughly translate to "Heaven's Great Wisdom" or something to that effect. If any of you are better versed in Japanese let me now if I'm wrong or not in translating it or the word order I would greatly appreciate it.

See ya'll next time

~Sakura Onna


	7. Chapter 7: Bakusui's Informed

Bark at the Moon

an Inuyasha fanfiction

by: Sakura Onna

Chapter 7: Bakusui's informed

Sesshomaru stood up from the ground. He glanced at Rin and saw that she looked much happier than she had been earlier in the day. It seemed that the girl was back to her normal self. He gave a slight command to Kimiko and Rin to follow and turned back to the direction he had left Jaken and Ah-Un. Jaken was going to be very boisterous about it, but Kimiko would now be traveling with them. He wasn't sure yet what degree of thrilledness he was over it but it made the most sense if he was going to try to use her to get the advantage in a fight against Inuyasha or Naraku. What good is having a new, or secret, weapon if it's not there to use when it could come in handy most? Besides, this would count toward getting rid of that pesky life debt he owed her, even though she had yet to even breathe one word of it. It was after he heard Rin start to follow slowly that he noticed Kimiko wasn't following. He looked over his shoulder to glare at her. What was the woman's problem now? She hadn't moved a single step. Rin looked up at Sesshomaru then looked over at Kimiko in question.

Kimiko stood still and tensed. He had agreed a bit too easily this time after his first rejection of giving her any form of aid. Kimiko tilted her head slightly so a portion of her hair that Rin hadn't bound in a braid fell forward hiding half her face. The Shunken no Ryuuten rested partially against her right shoulder ready at the slightest sign of threat and was gripped in her right hand. What was he planning?

"If you want this Sesshomaru to uphold his part of the deal, you must uphold yours. Things will be much simpler and easier if you follow this Sesshomaru." he stated as he tilted his own head in an arrogant way.

"And why would it be simpler?" Kimiko shot back tightening her grip on the shaft of the naginata.

"Traveling with this Sesshomaru will make things simpler because then you and this Sesshomaru will be present when the other's foe appears." He folded his hands into the sleeves of his haori and lifted his chin even more. "It will make fulfilling the deal easier and faster."

Jerk! His arrogance was starting to set her teeth on edge. It hadn't even been an hour since she and Rin had come to this clearing and the deal was made, and Kimiko  
already wanted to hit him and wipe that look off him. She was not going to bow to his will just like that.

* * *

"Lord Bakusui," Oruku paused as he entered the room the Eastern Lord sat in, staring silently at a crystal sphere he held in his lap intently as if he could see something inside the sphere that was highly interesting or important. The sphere was perfectly round, 10 inches in diameter, and clear blood red. Oruku got chills down his spine just from looking at the sphere in his lord's hands. He could not fathom the purpose of the crystal or how it was made, but it gave off strong jaki of its own. Bakusui's ability to hold an object that contained so much power was beyond Oruku's comprehension.

"What is it vassal?" Bakusui growled not looking away from the crystal making it clear that he was not happy at having even part of his concentration broken by the lesser youkai. A hint of his fang gleamed in the light of the candle on the table before him.

Oruku swallowed hard before he continued to speak his voice shaky and rushed. He was afraid of his lord's reaction to the report he had gotten not long before from one of the spys he had sent out with the two hunting parties.

"Both parties sent after the girl have been annihilated, and the naginata, Shunken no Kyuuten, is now in her possession. It appears that she has formed an alliance with the Western Lord as well. Only one of the spys was able to return. The others that were sent with the parties were killed with the hunters."

Bakusui takes a deep breath before a growling sigh leaves him, "Was she harmed?"

Oruku takes a step back in shock before he regains his composure and clears his throat. This was not the question he expected to hear first, "Not from what I heard, Lord Bakusui."

"Good. It better stay that way. You are dismissed vassal."

"But, My Lord! What should be done about the girl?"

"Leave. Now." A deep throated growl escaped Bakusui and his face whipped away from the crystal at last to glare at Oruku. Bakusui's green eyes were surrounded by red and his lips were drawn away from his fangs in a silent hiss. The two curved stripes on either side of his face were jagged instead of their usual smoothness and his claws were lengthened. It was clear he was pissed and ready to tear Oruku to shreads if he lingered any longer.

Oruku's eyes widened and he ran from the room not bothering to make himself look more dignified when he reached the main halls. The Eastern Lord was that terrifying when angered. In that moment most would have said like father like son in comparison of Oruku to his son, Akachi, as they would have been reminded of Akachi's reactions to Kimiko.

Bakusui took a deep breath and sighed when he was alone once more in the room with the crystal. He slowly allowed his anger to seep away as he turned back to the crystal in his hands. At first the only thing that could be seen in the crystal was his own reflection, his own forest green eyes, his own reddish-gold hair, his own curved green half moon cheek markings, his own greenish-blue star shaped mark on his forehead, but slowly as his focus returned an image besides his own began to form. Soon the image of Kimiko formed fully and the flickering anger and stubbornness sparkled in her sky blue eyes plain as day. He could see Rin looking between Kimiko and Sesshomaru in helpless uncertainty and Sesshomaru's own frustration with the situation. Bakusui had always known that Kimiko was proud and stubborn just like her father even when she had been a child. A small smile of satisfaction curved Bakusui's lips as he observed the argument taking place between the two youkai and the young human stuck in the middle.

"Your spirit is as strong as ever, my little Kimiko. Just keep getting stronger because the stronger you become the better it will be when I tame you."

Bakusui licked his lips as his smile widens and possessiveness shined in his eyes. Much later he sent word to Oruku via servant to send out a few more groups of warriors to retrieve Kimiko and to make sure they didn't rough her up too badly. He wanted her brought to his castle alive.

-------------

Kimiko and Sesshomaru glared at each other in a battle of wills each trying to get the other to back down. A high whining voice caught their attention as Jaken came in to the clearing.

"Milord how could you leave me behind, your faithful servent for so many years? How could you?! Rin, why did you take off like that?! And what is that vile woman doing here?! " Jaken panted for a few moments trying to regain his lost breath. Trailing loosely from his three fingered hand was the raigns of Ah-Un who looked about ready to take a bite out of the toad youkai if it wasn't for the mussels on both its mouthes. Jaken had clearly complaining the entire time he had been seperated from Sesshomaru and it was getting on the dragon's nerves.

"Jaken, she is here because she will now be travelling with us," Sesshomaru stated blandly turning away from Kimiko.

Jaken's jawdropped and his eyes bugged out more than normal," Are you sure that's a wise idea, Milord? I mean she can't be that much different from that Kagura woman. What if-"

Seshomaru glared at Jaken, and Jaken instantly silenced and plastered himself to the ground grovelling. "I do not need to explain myself to you."

He then turned and began to walk from the clearing forcing Jaken to get up. Kimiko hesitated for a moment then with a soft growl only Sesshomaru could hear she followed. Rin gave a sigh of relief that the fighting had stopped for now at least between Sesshomaru and Kimiko and skipped close to Kimiko's side as she followed Sesshomaru. He knew Rin was closer to Kimiko than him but decided to let it pass for now......

* * *

A/N: That's it for now. I know it's pretty short compared to some of the previous chapters, but I got a bit of writer's block forming and I got a ton of schoolwork lately. =_=" I don't like school alot and I am not looking forward to college next fall. Sorry it took so long to get this up. Hopefully I've added a bit of suspense to this.

What does Bakusui want with Kimiko? Why is he seeming like he might be a major perv? What f***ing species of youkai is he? Will there be _another _conflict/ confrontation between Kimiko and Sesshomaru next chapter to everyone's annoyance?

Answers maybe given next chapter. I could use some help with the species thing though. I know he's a carnivorous kind and not a feline. In simpler words he's a meat-eater and not a cat and also is some type of mammal. And no the crystal he has in this chapter isn't the Blood Crystal of the bat youkai, though it is similar in appearence to it. Please click that little green button below my text and tell me what you think. Leave me a review if you like. Leave me a review if you hate. And if you want leave me a review to chew me out over how long it took me to get this chapter up.

Til next time

~Sakura-Hime


	8. Chapter 8: Pack

Bark at the Moon

an Inuyasha fanfiction

by: Sakura Onna

special thanks: CRdragonPyro for always giving me a review since the beginning; gnarley for always being there from the start as well and for helping me figure out Kimiko's scent, you two have had the patience of saints with me, YOU ROCK!; Rainshimmer for your rather nice ideas and review, i've felt like doing the same thing to his Fluffiness when he talks that way and i'm writing it down! keep an eye out in future chapters for something that you put in my head and have been wanting to write in ever since; everyone who has given me a review and given me the boost and smile i believe all authors want to have when they write.

Note: _italics _means thoughts or stress words

Chapter 8: Pack

Kimiko walked in silence glaring at the back of the Western Lord she had tied herself to in a manner of speaking earlier that day. They had been in an alliance not even six hours yet and they had already gotten in over twice as many power struggles. The first was when he told Rin to walk closer to his side than hers. The second was over what way they should travel. The third was over if a certain plant Rin had found along side their path was poisonous to humans. The fourth was over whether a break from travel was a good idea or not (because Kimiko had noticed Rin needed one and Sesshomaru argued that she could just sit on Ah-Un's back if she was tired). The fifth was when Rin decided to pick flowers along the way. The sixth was how they were going to travel across a fairly wide river. The seventh Rin caused by asking why Kimiko wore such dark clothing. (The rest were fairly stupid enough things to get in an ego war over this authoress is not going to list them out and wants to face palm over the thought of doing so.) Kimiko knew that with the track record so far it was only a matter of time before the next one. She was fairly certain that there was going to be one when Mr. High and Mighty finally decided to make camp for the night.

"Lady Kimiko?"

"What, Rin?" The girl had drawn Kimiko out of her thoughts yet again and she had to wonder if it would cause another argument with the taiyoukai in front of her.

"You and Lord Sesshomaru don't seem to get along well." Rin said hesitantly as she slowed her pace a bit to fall back with Kimiko. "Why is that?"

Kimiko looked down at the girl in surprise. This wasn't a subject she had thought the child bold enough to breach. She turned over the girl's question in her mind. Why did she not like him? Duh, first off he didn't keep that good of an eye on the pup and she could get into all sorts of trouble because of that, second of all he was bossy and she didn't like being ordered around, third he ignored the girl too much for her liking, fourth he was stubborn and couldn't admit to being wrong at any point, fifth he was too damn hard to read, sixth he was too proud, seventh he never seemed to be paying any attention to anyone, eighth he seemed too pretty to be real.

_Wait?! What?! Oh no! That thought could not have just gone through my head! Why the hell would I ever find _him _pretty? He's cold and selfish! The only reason he even agreed to my proposed alliance of our strengths was to use me to get rid of some of his enemies just like I'm going to use him to get rid of mine! It's not like he'd take an interest in me at any point anyways. . . Why the hell am I even thinking this stuff?! Gah!! _Kimiko wanted to smack herself upside the head for even letting that thought run through her mind. She knew better than to let the line between business and personal thin. Her father had gotten bit in the ass that way too many times to comfortably count. He had. . . a little too much of a liking of women. She couldn't remember how many had actually lived at the palace anymore but she knew there was quite a few outside of it as well that he had.

Kimiko shook her head from side to side in the attempt to clear her mind of the thoughts running through it not knowing that she caused Sesshoamru to glance over his shoulder at her in doing so. He had been wondering at her silence for so long after Rin's question and seeing her shake her head like that had him wondering what she had been thinking. Whatever it was had her frowning and looking moodier than before. He had noticed earlier that Kimiko was almost an open book when it came to her emotions and displaying them. She wasn't as good at keeping them hidden as he was, but he was learning that she tended to swing from one mood to another fairly easily which made her responses to things hard to predict. She wasn't as bad as a human could be though, and of that he was silently thankful. He had encountered his brother's little miko enough to know he probably would have already run out of patience and snapped if Kimiko was that way. He honestly had not been expecting her to attack his mode of dress earlier when Rin asked about hers. He glared at a tree in the distance as he remembered it.

X Flash Back X

Kimiko had forced Sesshomaru's hand into allowing the group a break and they all sat in a clearing.

"Lady Kimiko?" Rin looked up at Kimiko in her tree from the grass she sat on.

"Yes?" Kimiko looked down at Rin giving her full attention to the child.

"Why do you wear such dark clothes? Don't they get warm in the summer time?"

A small smile curled Kimiko's lips and she looked straight across from her to the other side of the clearing at him. "They do, but they hide blood much more easily than lighter clothes like Lord Sesshomaru's. They also make it easier to move undetected at night because they reflect less light. Dark clothes are much better for camouflage."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened marginally. _What?! _How the hell was he going to counter that?! Kimiko's smile widened as she caught a small hint of the change in his expression. Score: Kimiko 1 - Sesshomaru 0 in this round. Sesshomaru saw the look of triumph in her eyes and summoned as much of a response as he could, not willing to give her a victory so easily.

"White is more fashionable." He managed to growl as he stuck up his nose and shoved his arms into his sleeves trying to create a look of superiority.

"Dark is more practical. I can't believe I just heard a male say something about fashion," Kimiko replied smoothly inspecting her claws.

Sesshomaru couldn't find a retort for that and his hands balled into fists in his sleeves. All he could do was jump down from his perch and continue the groups travel.

X End Flash Back X

Sesshomaru was still stung with humiliation at her out talking him not once but twice already. He probably shouldn't have been surprised since she spent more time talking than him, but it still hurt his pride damn it!

"Lord Sesshomaru, why don't you and Lady Kimiko get along well?" Rin asked coming to walk by his side drawing him from his thoughts.

Sesshomaru glanced at the girl. Apparently Kimiko had refused to give the girl an answer, otherwise she would most likely not be asking him. He could think of a few reasons but Rin wouldn't understand any of them so he opted for an easier answer, "Do not ask such frivolous things you can not comprehend."

Rin stopped walking and pouted to her lord's back. She couldn't understand why both inuyoukai wouldn't give her any answers to her question. To her it looked like a very simple one to answer, but she didn't know that both youkai were trying to subconscously reduce their bickering over things that weren't really worth it and that they knew any real answer they gave would possibly give the other an advantage in the future. Both were afraid to admit aloud to some things as well; like for Sesshomaru that her scent reminded him of fresh rain, or for Kimiko that his scent reminded her of something wild and untameable like thunder. He also didn't want to admit to his growing amount of respect for her as well.

Kimiko noticed the fall of Rin's mood and decided to try something to distract the girl from the information she wanted. "As the sun sets/ staining the sky the red of blood/ we bid farewell to another day/ welcome the dark with its own pale light/ prepare for another day to make what we will."

Rin looked at Kimiko in confusion as did Jaken at her odd words and the lyrical tone her voice had taken on. Sesshomaru recognised the old poem told to pups when they are disappointed at the end of something they liked, such as when they first encounter death in their lives with the loss of a relative or a pet, or the end of what they thought was a perfect day of fun and play before the harsh lessons of life start. It made sense to him that she would remember word for word at will the poem since as a female she would most likely be the one telling her future pups that poem more than their father would. He didn't know she remembered it so well because she was told it so often when she was young. The way she spoke the poem gave it a life most tellers couldn't achieve, and he understood what her intent was in saying it.

"The sun and day will always follow the moon and night/ as will night and moon always follow day and sun/ to each beginning there must be an end/ to every end there must be a beginning/ spring, summer, fall, winter/ say them anyway you wish but the cycle stays the same." Sesshomaru added letting his voice slide to a slightly deeper and smoother tone like Kimiko had. This was another, though less smooth and flowy, poem/ saying told to the young to help them comprehend the world arould them and was much blunter to a point.

Rin and Jaken looked from one inuyoukai to the other bewildered. Rin started walking once more wondering what had prompted the two youkai to speak so strangely all of a sudden and one behind the other no less. To her it almost seemed like they had just attempted to act as a pair without even realizing it. Could they be trying to hide something from themselves and each other and that was why they didn't answer her question? If that was the case she thought it was a dumb reason. What remained of the day passed in almost complete silence from the two inuyoukai. When the group stopped to make camp for the night Kimiko waited to see how Rin was going to sleep before she leaped into one of the trees nearby and settled herself into the fork of two branches with her back to the trunk. Sesshomaru decided to place himself at the base of a tree across from Kimiko's so that to an effect they were able to watch over two directions at once increasing the safety of the camp. Rin initially curled against Ah-Un's side but soon found she couldn't fall asleep. An hour or so passed as Rin tried to make herself fall asleep before she sat up surveying the camp. Sesshomaru appeared to be asleep in his place against the trunk of his tree, Kimiko seemed asleep as well, as did Ah-Un and Jaken at Ah-Un's other side. Rin decided to try something she had wanted to do for a while and crawled across the short distance to where Sesshomaru sat as quietly as she could then rested her head on his leg and curled up next to him. She drifted to sleep a short time later. Sesshomaru cracked one eye open to look at the child then carefully shifted himself so he could drape his mokomoko over her. He had wondered how long it would take her to start doing that for a while now, but wanted to do so on her own so he had let her be.

Kimiko watched the human child and the male inuyoukai through slitted eyes feigning sleep. She had a feeling that the girl may have done the same thing to her had she been down on the ground like Sesshomaru. Something about the sight of the youkai and his adopted pup made her feel... kind of warm inside. It almost seemed to be enough to soften her impression of him a little. She watched how he carefully brushed some of the child's hair away from her face after he did a quick scan of the area. Kimiko was careful to keep her face and body mostly relaxed and her breathing steady and even. She had a feeling that if he knew he had an audience he would push the child away from him and ignore her.

------------------

"Rin!" Kimiko called out halting the child mid stride. "Don't go wandering off on your own!"

Jaken stared at the female inuyoukai in amazement. He had only seen Sesshomaru have that effect on the girl before. The imp had been a bit concerned of what the girl would do when he had awakened to find his lord gone that morning. What could he be doing leaving the child in that female youkai's hands with no word of when he would return? How could his lord be putting so much trust in her when she was still no more than a stranger to them? Granted Kimiko hadn't done anything suspicious yet or done more than be stubborn and annoying and verbally quarrel with Sesshomaru. Jaken sighed and leaned heavily on the staff of two heads as he watched Kimiko walk over to Rin and say something to the girl in a soft enough tone that he couldn't hear what she said.

Kimiko glanced over at a ridge not far from where she had chosen to hold up the group to wait for Sesshomaru to choose to return to them. She knew what he was doing and where he was. She also knew he thought he was being smart with what location he had chosen for it when in her opinion it wasn't. He had left the others in her control to test her and he was sitting on that ridge right now watching her. How did she know that? Simple. While she couldn't see were he was on it, her nose was sensitive enough to catch his scent on the wind while the others' were too dull to do so. She had tracked him partially to tell the truth, but had decided to break off from his trail so as to not ruin his "fun". She turned away from the ridge and focused her attention on the little girl. Rin stood balancing herself on one foot waiting for Kimiko to give her a sign that she could move.

Kimiko sighed, "You can move, girl, but you have to stay where I can see you at all times. Is that understood?"

Rin relaxed and stood normally and smiled, "Okay, Lady Kimiko!"

The girl then proceeded to run over to a patch of flowers and start picking a bunch. Kimiko went to a nearby boulder and sat watching Rin as she picked flowers and started weaving them together. A small smile tugged at her lips as she watched the girl work while keeping most of her senses trained on their surroundings. She had to admit that the girl was starting to grow on her. Kimiko had to wonder how most children in Rin's age group behaved normally of any race. Was Rin a good standard to hold them to? What was Rin's age anyways? Kimiko knew from the child's babbles that she had been with Sesshomaru for two years now but that didn't answer that question. What had Rin been taught of practical use like reading and writing skills? As these questions came to mind Kimiko realised that with Sesshomaru away this was the perfect opprotunity to get her answers from the source.

"Rin?"

"Huh? Yes, Lady Kimiko?" Rin looked up at Kimiko curiously. She knew Kimiko was more talkative than Sesshomaru, but she usually had to be spoken to first to get her to say anything.

"How old are you?" Kimiko turned her eyes away as she asked this so she didn't see Rin's surprise then careful consideration.

"Well, I've been with Lord Sesshomaru for two years....then there was about a year and a half at that village.....and Mom and Dad for around six and a half.....So I'm about ten I think." Rin's face scrunched together in deep thought then relaxed slowly as she came to her conclusion.

"How much learning have you gotten?"

"What do you mean, Lady Kimiko?" Rin's face was blank of understanding and she just stared at Kimiko.

"Like reading and writing or adding and subtracting numbers."

"Oh." Rin looked at the flowers in her hands as she understood. "I can't read or write. I can add somethings and subtract them but it gets confusing after a point."

Kimiko frowned and cast a glare over towards the ridge. _What was Sesshomaru thinking keeping the girl so ignorant?! Was what I saw the past couple nights just a show? An appearance only with no emotion to it? Rin can not be _that_ hard to teach. I believe that she'd take to a lot of concepts fairly easily if she's exposed to them. Well, Sesshomaru, I think you may have miscalculated in leaving the pup in my care if you wished her not to learn those basic skills she doesn't have._

Kimiko turned back to Rin a determined look in her eyes, "Would you like to learn, Rin? I can teach you to read and write if you wish."

Rin's eyes widened and Jaken's jaw dropped at Kimiko's words. Jaken couldn't believe that the female youkai would offer such a thing without asking Sesshomaru's permission first. Rin grinned happily then ran to Kimiko and hugged her.

"Yes! I want to learn it!" Rin exclaimed as she hugged Kimiko as tightly as she could. Kimiko stared at the girl for a few moments then placed a hand in the girl's head akwardly.

"Now wait just a minute!!!!" Jaken shouted as he recovered. He waved the staff of two heads wildly and jumped up and down a bit. "What of Lord Sesshomaru's permission! Rin is his ward so he has final say on everything at involves her!"

Kimiko smiled at Jaken but it was much more of just a baring of her teeth at him and he silenced, "He's not here now is he? And who got left in control with his absense?"

Jaken swallowed hard and cowered, "Y-you, L-lady Ki-kimiko."

"Exactly. As such I have a right to teach the girl, do I not?"

"Y-yes."

Satisfaction reached her expression, "Then shut up, Jaken."

Jaken nodded with one of his typical don't-hurt-me looks on his face.

----------

Sesshomaru wasn't watching the group as Kimiko thought. It was just before the break of day that he had sensed a threat he couldn't ignore. He stood gazing icily at the group before him knowing that it was another of Bakusui's hunting parties. He had left his group in Kimiko's hands so that there would be someone to keep an eye on Rin, and ,though he hated to admit it to himself, Kimiko had done a better job than him at that recently.

"We just want the woman, Lord of the West. If you hand her over things won't need to be destroyed in your lands." The leader of the group, a tiger youkai, stated a false smile on his lips.

Sesshomaru reached for Tokijin at his waist, "I can not do that. Leave my lands and you may just be allowed to keep your lives."

"Can't do that either, Lord of the West. Lord Bakusui wants the woman back in his control something bad and will take our heads if we return without her." The tiger replied raising his claws.

"Then you are dead!" Sesshomaru drew Tokijin and slashed at the tiger. The pressure of the blade's energy cuts through the air between the two and slices the tiger clean in half. The rest of the group stared dumbfoundedly for a few moments then burst into action. Some charged at the taiyoukai and some tried to flee. Sesshomaru killed the ones who charged at him with one blow each, and some of the ones that tried to flee were killed by their comrades. Sesshomaru looked at the running youkai and decided that it would be best to eliminate all of the hunting party so that there would be none to regroup later and try to attack his group. Using his superhuman speed he got in front of the fleeing youkai. A few tried to grovel for their lives before they died, some just tried to run a different way to be caught a short time later, others fell on their own weapons and took their own lives, a very small number stood their ground when Sesshomaru blocked off their escape and tried to fight then. In the end it didn't matter what their last actions were; none of the hunting party escaped from Sesshomaru. They had been a possible threat to Rin. They were eliminated as such.

Sesshomaru whiped off the blood from his blade on the grass and replaced it at his side. He glanced down at himself and growled. He was splattered with blood and it showed clearly on his white haori and hakama. He could not return to the others until he got it off even though he was sure Kimiko would still smell it. He moved to the edge of the ridge to judge how long it would take him to get back, and almost face planted in surprise. He could clearly see the shimmer of gold and dark blue not more than a mile away in a field of flowers and the yellow and orange checkered yukata of Rin.

_She tracked me!? The damn woman tracked me?!?!?! I..... Argh!!_ Sesshoamru turned from the ridge and sought out the closest stream he had past in hunting the hunting party. He didn't know if Kimiko was a good thing or a bad thing for his pack to be honest. . .

* * *

A/N: **:/** Well it's another chapter and i got it done in two days, but this maybe one of my worst so far. Yeah i decided this would be after the Band of Seven arc, but before the second trip to the grave of Toga, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father. And Sesshomaru has both his arms because enough time has passed since Inuyasha cut his left arm off that it grew back before the start of this fic. Just to officially state that for the record. At the end of this chapter just before Sesshomaru went to look over the area he was actually thinking that Kimiko might have a very valid point about her clothing versus his, but i couldn't figure out where to put that. If anyone is interested I have done a few drawings of Kimiko and have posted a couple on deviant art. to see them go to deviant art dot com and search Kimiko2 or Kimiko3 as those are the titles of those drawings i posted. which ever one you search for the other should come up with it. if any of you happen to be Baykuya Kuchiki fans too i have a fic i'm writing that he's in too. it's called Fate's Twisted Whims and also is oc x canon pairing.

Sakura-hime


	9. Chapter 9: Lessons

Bark at the Moon

an Inuyasha fanfiction

by: Sakura Onna

A/N: Sorry it's been so long, everyone! Things have been kinda busy lately and I wasn't able to find as much time as I would like to write, but please don't lose faith! I haven't given up on this story yet! One of the poems I've written for this story shows up in this chapter.

Chapter 9: Lessons

"Stand firm my child/ even when the four winds blow/ don't let yourself fall." Kimiko recited as she wrote the haiku out in the patch of dirt in front of her and Rin with a twig. It had long been her favorite poem.

Rin sat next to Kimiko with wide eyes as she watched Kimiko's hand gracefully create each little mark in the dirt. Kimiko's writing was pretty, and Rin had never seen a woman write before. Her family had been mere peasants that had to hunt and farm for every morsel of food they could to survive and as such there was never really enough time for even her father and brothers to learn, much less her mother, and if any of the female servants at Sesshomaru's fortress knew how to they made sure not to flaunt it. As far as Rin knew it was rare for females to have any reading or writing skills, much less ones that appeared to be as good as Kimiko's. She pointed to Kimiko's writing.

"What is that, Lady Kimiko?"

"A haiku, a short three line poem. I thought it would be a good starter reading lesson for you because of its length," Kimiko replied with a small smile as she looked at the little girl by her side.

"Did you write it?"

"No, I found it in Father's study when I was around your age, or at least the equivalence of it. I was old enough and strong enough by then that Father felt he could start taking the risk of leaving me alone for a few days without him. He was away from the fortress at the time making negotiations with the Northern Lord at the time. This was written by a woman with the name of Kou," Kimiko's smile widened a bit with her pleasure in Rin's curiosity about the haiku.

Jaken humphed from the stomp he sat on clutching the Staff of Two Heads. He hoped Sesshomaru would return soon and catch Kimiko in the act and put her in her proper place. Kimiko was too bold for Jaken's liking. She didn't act like a woman should. She was impudent and challenging Sesshomaru's authority over the girl with what she was doing. Jaken hoped she would be the one getting a lump on her head for a change instead of him.

Sesshomaru paused at the edge of the treeline near the camp Kimiko had made at the sight that was before him. Kimiko and Rin sat next to each other in a companionable way almost like sisters or the best of friends or maybe even how a mother and daughter would. A slight sense of peace washed over him in knowing that the two females were safe and unharmed and an unfamiliar emotion rose to the surface as he watched the lesson Kimiko was giving Rin. He had never really thought of teaching Rin to read or write since few women were ever educated in such things among their kind. What had prompted Yukimaru to teach his daughter such skills when they weren't seen as being appropriate for females to know?

-----

"Why do you tremble so little foxes?" Naraku's voice sent icy tendrils of fear coursing even stronger through the veins of the two fox youkai cowering in the hollow beneath a tree. They had fled from their lord and hidden for days petrified with fear of what Bakusui would do to them for their failure to capture Kimiko and their cowardice for running from battle with her. Now to be found by the hanyou that was a shared plight of all the Lords seemed a fate worse than what Bakusui could deal them. They knew the stories and rumors of Naraku, and knew that whether they talked or not he would find a way to get the information out of them. "Come now perhaps I can take your fear from you. . ."

"No!" the first fox cried.

"Please don't, Lord! It was the daughter of Yukimaru and the Western Lord! They cut down our ranks like a hot dagger through lard. There is no way we can even stand a chance against them no matter how strong we become!" the second fox begged.

"Yukimaru's daughter?" Naraku asked intrigued. "A woman devastated a group of well trained warriors like your lord's?"

"She inherited her father's legandary skills." "She was personally trained by him." the two foxes said at the same time.

This caught Naraku's attention even more. He knew enough of the tales told among youkai to know of the foreign dog demon who managed to gain great power in the Eastern Lands and become their lord many years ago who met his demise around the same time as the father of the wretched dog brothers who kept finding ways to interfere with his plans and schemes. He also knew of the tales that the foreign dog demon had a unique power that ran in his bloodline, one that tended to kill pups if they didn't inherit an accompanying power. If this female that the foxes were talking about was really one of the foreigner's pups. . . Perhaps her powers would be a good addition to the ones he had already absorbed in the past 52 years and make him even stronger.

"Tell me more about this daughter of Yukimaru. . ."

--------

A snarl rose from Bakusui's throat and he half stood from his seat. No! This was not supposed to be happening! He was about to throw the blood red crystal against the wall in his rage when a far away sound came through it to him making him pause. He slowly lowered the crystal in his hands and gazed in it. A small image appeared in the dead center of the crystal orb.

"If you still want to go through with your plan, you will only have to work a little harder to achieve it. You know what the appearance of an eighth ray to the sun mark means. Especially when it appears at maturity," the image stated in its small far away voice. "I'm sure you can still complete your little plan if you speed up your pace, young lord."

Bakusui moved over to a chest on the right side of the room and not so gently put the crystal inside. He slammed the lid shut on top and covered the chest with a large piece of white cloth. "I don't need you to tell me that, you old doddering fool! I spent most of my life as one of Yukimaru's men, didn't I? I was one of the few that left Italy to follow him, wasn't I? I dedicated my life to him and his family only to get no thanks and repayment in return. I was the one who stole him his wife poet, Kou, from her homeland of Athens, for gods' sakes! That surely had to be worth something."

He then moved over to the pile of bedding and pelts that covered most of the floor on the other side of the room, and flopped down on them in weariness. The jackal youkai then proceeded to bury himself in his bedding to the point nothing but a few locks of his hair were visible.

"If Narau gets too close to what in mine, I will kill him with my bare hands. . ."

---------

Sesshomaru silently entered the camp and sat a short distance from Kimiko and Rin. Kimiko glanced over at him from the corner of her eye then returned her attention back to the girl. She could sense a slight agitation in his aura.

"Now see this?" Kimiko asked pointing to one of the words she had written. "This is how 'wind' is written in Japanese. And this," she picked up her stick again and put a few new marks in the dirt above her original writing, "is how 'wind' is written in one of the two foreign languages Father insisted that I be able to read, write, and speak. You may not have the most use for it, but then again who knows where you might travel in the future."

This caught Sesshomaru's attention, "And where did he learn them?"

"I would assume his travels, Lord Sesshomaru," Kimiko replied coldly casting a glare in his direction.

Sesshomaru glared back but didn't say a word. She probably had zero idea anyways of what he'd asked. It was clear when she tried to speak the foreign words she had written that neither of those languages flowed nearly as well from her tongue as Japanese did. Why would Yukimaru want her to know so many languages? What purpose was there in teaching her those ones specifically anyways? How did he learn them?

Sesshomaru remained silent through out the rest of Kimiko's lesson until Rin started to yawn severely and he told her to get to sleep because studying when she was so tired wouldn't do her any good. Rin reluctantly when to bed and curled up against Ah-Un's side. (She wouldn't sleep by Sesshomaru until he himself tried to go to sleep.) He didn't mention the skirmishes he had with Bakusui's men or the growing frequency of them. She was bound to have felt their presence at some point. He let her lessons with Rin go without comment as well. Perhaps there was a possible useful benefit that could come from it. He and Kimiko as usual assumed places across from each other to cover two directions at once, but this time Kimiko didn't settle into a tree like she always had. She set herself at the base of a tree like Sesshomaru. This made him curious but still he remained silent in seeing that there was still a glare to her gaze when it landed on him. It was much later when everyone else was asleep that he finally gave in a temptation he had been fighting for a few nights now.

Sesshomaru crouched in front of Kimiko letting himself get a really close look at her for the first time. If any of the others were awake he wouldn't dare be this close to the sleeping inu female. He did NOT want to let on to them that he had any interest in her. Kimiko looked oddly so relaxed in her sleep and...looked...pretty. He tilted his head to the side as his eyes slid down her form. She looked deceptively like she couldn't harm a fly and peaceful like she didn't even know the meaning of the word fight. It was his memory of how easily she really could kill that kept him from believing the illusion the moonlight cast on her in her sleep. As his eyes returned to her face then traveled to her unusual hair, he was struck by the urge to feel it between his fingers. His hand was almost to her golden locks when her eyes suddenly snapped open and he froze.

All Kimiko saw was a face only a few inches from her own before her instincts took hold and she punched it. She blinked a few times then fully sat up from her slightly slouched position with her back to a tree that she had fallen asleep in. She looked around and all she saw were Sesshomaru sitting on his butt on the ground not that far from her with one of his hands rubbing the side of his face and the others asleep near the fire, or what was left of it.

Sesshomaru sat rubbing his jaw trying to determine if she had broken his jaw. Note to self don't get so close to a sleeping Kimiko again with I can't react quick enough to get out of the way of her right hook. Damn she can hit hard! He could feel the developing bruise along his jaw and knew the others were going to ask about it. What the hell kind of excuse could he give them?

"What do you think you're doing?" Kimiko finally asked glaring at him and he froze once more. Actually on second thought, what the hell could he say to the angry female inuyoukai that might keep her from trying to kill him first?!

* * *

A/N: Yes. I did it. I had Kimiko do a variation of something Kagome did to InuYasha in an early episode of the anime. :] The episode Kikyo's ashes are stolen to be exact. And I decided to make Bakusui a jackal, which looks a lot like a coyote, and I realise that Italy is a little further east than what the jackal's range is but since it's a youkai I'm talking about such a thing shouldn't make much of difference. And yes I finally made a reference to Kimiko's mother and her origins. And yes this took too long for me to get done. Oh, and, gnarley, your comment a while ago about you being curious about how I envisioned Kimiko has made me curious about how you she her looking.


	10. Chapter 10: Adjustments

Bark at the Moon

an Inuyasha fanfiction

by: Sakura Onna

_Last time:_

Sesshomaru sat rubbing his jaw trying to determine if she had broken his jaw. Note to self don't get so close to a sleeping Kimiko again with I can't react quick enough to get out of the way of her right hook. Damn she can hit hard! He could feel the developing bruise along his jaw and knew the others were going to ask about it. What the hell kind of excuse could he give them?

"What do you think you're doing?" Kimiko finally asked glaring at him and he froze once more. Actually on second thought, what the hell could he say to the angry female inuyoukai that might keep her from trying to kill him first?!

Chapter 10: Adjustments

Sesshomaru's mind raced as he tried to reach a probable excuse for his invasion of her personal space. The truth would just dig him a deeper hole and make matters worse. His body sang with tension during the few heartbeats it took him to come up with one as his eyes came to rest on the carcass of a dead spider beside Kimiko.

"There was a poisonous arachnid on your shoulder," he finally said forcing his body to relax, "I was just removing it."

Kimiko doubted that completely, she couldn't have been out _that _much, and her tone was colored with it, "Couldn't you not have used some other method to remove it, such as an energy whip?"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed slightly and his aura intensified betraying only the surface of the anger her choice of words had caused, "I am not in the habit of hitting females who are not my enemy nor allies who have yet to show signs of betrayal. If I had used such a method you would have been struck as well, Lady Kimiko."

Kimiko's eyes widened taken aback by his words, and Sesshomaru took the opportunity her surprise and lack of speech gave him to stand and walk away from the camp.

Sesshomaru wasn't pleased one bit by her indirectly voiced accusation. How could she think so low of him? He knew he could be ruthless when his station put him in a situtation that called for it, but he did have pride and honor for gods' sakes. Hell he was even refraining from repaying her for hitting him. The knowledge that Rin would never forgive him and be extremely upset if he hurt Kimiko for no apparent reason was only a small fragment of it. He had spoke the truth when he said he didn't make a habit of hitting women without a justifiable reason. He didn't count his brother's wenches in the non-justified category though, especially the one who dressed in such a revealing manner, since they each had some part in doing bodily damage to him. The memory of Kagome pointing sacred arrows in his direction burned brightly in his mind. Other than Kagome it was those foolish enough to make him an enemy that he held no gripe in harming.

'Why do I even care what she thinks of me though?' Sesshomaru thought lifting his head to look up at the starry sky as he took a seat on top of a hill on the other side of the forest. A whirlwind of emotions whipped up inside his chest, but not one of them showed as more than a slight distant look coming to his eyes. 'What does she know? Clearly not enough to judge someone's character well. She with her overly expressive face and eyes, inexperience with the world, and uncustomary upbringing. What had been going through Yukimaru's head for crying out loud?! Surely he would have known that the way he was raising her would just cause her problems down the road? And again why the hell do I care about all this?!'

"He was. . .being kind?" Kimiko whispered to the unhearing night air staring at the spot in the treeline Sesshomaru had walked through.

She blinked slowly and drew her knees up to her chest and set her chin on top of them for the first time since a good 50 years before her father had died. Her father had always lectured her on not sitting like that since it seemed too weak and vulnerable like an ordinary female. She was too powerful to sit like that he always said as well as that it was more fit for a child than the grown woman she was becoming. Kimiko turned her eyes to the ground next to her and in seeing the spider Sesshomaru had seen earlier felt a slight pang of guilt for her reaction.

'Maybe I was too harsh on him. I mean that spider does seem freshly dead and definitely is the venomous kind. And I have never seen nor heard of him harming a female except in self defense. With how hard I probably hit him I just might deserve to be in that category. I mean if he was protecting me that was some way to thank him. Not that I haven't built up an immunity to most poisons and venoms since I was small. Father wanted make sure that I wouldn't be susceptible to poisoning like a few of my older siblings were. Gods, those were the days, Father alive and trying to keep as many of us alive as possible while dealing with the issues of his lands, and the youkai women of the household trying to get rid of all their rivals' young to put their own in a better standing for everything. And how not one of them wanted anything to do with me except kill me, the lone surviving pup of Father's apparent favorite. They were always more vicious when it came to their ploys against those of us who were motherless like me and Mizuki and Kazuki. And the hanyou as well. Did Sesshomaru grow up in a household like that too? He must think badly of me now because of me hitting him. Should I even be thinking of putting more trust in him now because of this?!'

The night was long in passing and neither Sesshomaru nor Kimiko got anymore sleep that night. When dawn finally broke Rin and Jaken awoke to find Kimiko still sitting with her knees to her chest deep in thought and chewing on her bottom lip. When Kimiko set the others through the usual daily routine of travel with Sesshomaru still away, Rin noticed quickly that she wasn't quite her usual self. Something was different about her and Rin couldn't figure out what caused it. Rin bombarded Kimiko with questions and stories about various things from the shape of the clouds floating over head to flowers on the side of the path they took, but Kimiko didn't respond except when necessary. Even when she did respond to Rin it was barely more than a few words at a time.

Rin sat on Ah-Un's back staring at Kimiko thoughtfully. 'What happened to Lady Kimiko? She's so much more distant today for some reason. And where's Lord Sesshomaru? Did something happen between them? And am I just imagining things, or is Lady Kimiko a bit down today? Something just doesn't seem normal about her.'

Sesshomaru didn't return that night or the next day. Kimiko felt like crap to put it nicely. The world may be harsh and cruel, but now it seemed she had acted too harshly for the situation. Why she was so upset over Sesshomaru not returning was not something Kimiko examined. Rin's upset with the situation was enough to give Kimiko at least a shell to put around the real hidden reason. Besides it wasn't like he hadn't gone off on his own in the past for three to four days leaving her with the others during that time.

"Lady Kimiko?" Rin yawned from her place by the fire that second night. "Why are you so sad? For the past few days you've been sighing as much as Jaken. Does it have something to do with Lord Sesshomaru?"

Kimiko started with surprise. She had forgotten for a few moments how perceptive Rin was. Not that she should have been surprised since Rin had been asking her basically the same thing for a while now and it just happened to finally penetrate to her brain.

A sheepish smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, "Maybe, little Rin, it does."

Kimiko cast her eyes to the stars above and had to wonder just what would be said to and of her if her father was there at that moment. A gentle night breeze blew through the camp and lifted a few strands of her golden hair for a couple moments. Her bangs ruffled in the breeze and lifted away from her forehead revealing her sun mark completely. And the eight rays around the spiral center.

* * *

A/N: Sorry! I just couldn't resist ending this chapter like that because it just felt like a good end point. XD Yeah I know this chapter is a little short. I hope I didn't make some of these guys too ooc or anything like that =/

I might be biting off more than I can chew, but I've started a new Inuyasha story. If any of you remember it it's the story that was in that sneak peek (the sneak peek isn't in this anymore so don't go searching the chapters looking for it). The story about Sesshomaru's son, Orirumaru, and the many times great granddaughter of Miroku and Sango, Miroka. It's called Hidden Truths instead of Learning Truth if you're interested and it mainly will take place in modern times. And it's rated M so I can have all the fun I want making certain characters potty mouths without as much worry as I would if it was rated T.

And suggestion to those who want to be on top of when I add chapters or new stories should do the author and story alerts to make things easier.

NOW PLEASE CLICK THE LITTLE BUTTON LABELED _REVIEW_!!!!


	11. Chapter 11: Weapons and Family

Bark at the Moon

an Inuyasha fanfiction

by: Sakura Onna

_Last time:_

"Lady Kimiko?" Rin yawned from her place by the fire that second night. "Why are you so sad? For the past few days you've been sighing as much as Jaken. Does it have something to do with Lord Sesshomaru?"

Kimiko started with surprise. She had forgotten for a few moments how perceptive Rin was. Not that she should have been surprised since Rin had been asking her basically the same thing for a while now and it just happened to finally penetrate to her brain.

A sheepish smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, "Maybe, little Rin, it does."

Kimiko cast her eyes to the stars above and had to wonder just what would be said to and of her if her father was there at that moment. A gentle night breeze blew through the camp and lifted a few strands of her golden hair for a couple moments. Her bangs ruffled in the breeze and lifted away from her forehead revealing her sun mark completely. And the eight rays around the spiral center.

Chapter 11: Weapons and Family

"Just get the hell out of my way, Hanyou," a very unamused inuyoukai with bronze colored eyes and copper hair stated blandly glaring at the inuhanyou that stood blocking his path.

"And why the fuck should I, you mangy flea bag?" Inuyasha growled loathing the tone in the inuyoukai's voice. His ears pressed flat to the top of his head as he glared back at him.

"Is this really necessary?" Kagome muttered in exasperation to Miroku and Sango, Shippo riding on her shoulder, behind Inuyasha.

"What did you just call me?" the full blooded inu yelled at the half breed (if I were to speak in anime/manga terms here his eyes would turn into dual flames right about now) rage contorting his fair, god like face in to something much less pretty. "Do you have any idea who I am you measely hanyou? I am the younger brother of Lord Yukimaru, Dantel!"

The inuyoukai crossed his arms over his chest and stuck his nose in the air haughtily gazing down his nose at Inuyasha as if he was no better than the earth under his feet. He expected to hear an awed gasp from the group of travelers in front of him mere seconds after his proclamation, but when none came forth a bit of the wind was taken out of his sails, maybe it was his lack of over the top resemblence to his older brother that caused it and they doubted him. But it was not as much of a blow since most wouldn't have guessed the relation in a tausand years as what came next.

"Who?" the group of traveling companions asked in unision.

The inuyoukai faceplanted instantly in disbelief and shock, but quickly pulled himself somewhat back up, "You mean to say you have never heard of my great brother, Lord Yukimaru the Lord of the Eastern Lands? Who fought long and hard to carve out a niche in this country for himself and his mate, the fair and well educated poet, Kou? The man who fought beside Toga, the Lord of the Western Lands, and was close friends with? You have never heard a single word about him at all?"

A look of recognition passed over both Inuyasha and Kagome's faces at the list of description but for different reasons.

"What was that about my old man?" Inuyasha asked fiercely about to grab Dantel by the collar of his ash colored tunic when Kagome placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder.

When Inuyasha shook her hand off she sighed, "Sit, boy,"

Inuyasha instantly was kissing dirt. Kagome turned brown eyes to Dantel and he instantly took a respectful step back the look of fear unmistakable in his eyes. "It's okay. I've heard of Kou and read some of her work. She does amazing haiku and tanka."

"Huh? Is that true, Kagome?" Sango asked in surprise.

"Yeah, Mom found a copy of some of her original work in the storehouse back home. The paper was a little worn but still in pretty good shape considering their age. They could be considered a national treasure maybe even since they were written back in the Heian Era," Kagome replied matter of factly looking smug.

"Heian Era?" Dantel muttered thinking aloud to himself, "Oh! That's about five hundred years ago or so, and the last letter I got from my brother was a bit over two hundred years ago."

"Big fucking deal. So what if Kagome's heard of the wife. What I still want to know is what this has to do with my father!" Inuyasha said his face as far from the ground as he could get it until the spell wore off in annoyance.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt since the Miko has to come from a family that Kou is quite attached to, to possess some of her cherished writings. . ."

------one long story later-------

"So you see finding my brother, his mate, or my niece is of utmost importance. From what my brother told me of in his letters her mark will transform shortly and her full abilities will surface. If it is an eigth sun ray then she will have the power to rival some of the gods in my homeland. It's a little worrysome to think that she maybe able to fight with as much strength and vigor as Mars while looking as beautiful as Venus just because of the strength of her blood, but what is more so is the thought that as long as she is unfamiliar with her gifts as a whole she is highly vulnerable to others trying to absorb them and her in the process."

"Mars? Venus? Who or what are they?" Miroku inquired one brow quircked.

"The god of war and the goddess of. . .Well, Venus can be discribed a bunch of ways from love and beauty to lust and fertility. . . . ." Dantel's initial embaressment at figuring out a way of describing one of the main goddesses of his homeland turned to a look of mixed disbelief, discomfort and a widening of the eyes and the clear want to hit himself upside the head. "That's right! Mars and Venus had multiple children together!"

"And that's significant how. . . ?" Inuyasha asked in total incomprehension his ears at an angle of 45 degrees.

Dantel faceplammed then in embarrassment for the hanyou, and decided that he couldn't figure out that one of Mars and Venus's offspring may have bred with the Italian or Greek inuyoukai population and as such explained the power behind the eigth sunray in the House of the Sun, he wasn't going to spell it all out for him. It had been embarrassing enough to explain to the youngest member of the pack back home about the birds and the bees. He sure as hell wasn't going to go over it with some random hanyou that wasn't capable of thinking on that level yet.

---------------------choto----------------------

Sesshomaru laid back in the cradle of two branches staring up at the sky through bright green leaves. The shadow and sunlight played on his face creating a patchwork of light and dark. A slight frown pulled at the corners of his mouth giving an uncommon forlorn air. He wanted to return to the pack, but the memory of Kimiko's accusation after that punch raised his anger back to the surface causing him to doubt if he would have the selfcontrol not to lash out at her the moment he saw her next. The bruise from said punch was still more than a simple shadow on his jawline and he was forced to admit he was lucky she hadn't hit him with enough force to break it. A soft growl escaped Sesshomaru and he turned on his side as best he could in his treetop seat trying to direct his thoughts elsewhere. Surely Rin would be missing him by now. But with Kimiko to keep the girl better company that may not be the case on second thought. Just how long does it take a human to forget someone anyways?

-------------------------------mate--------------

"When's Lord Sesshomaru coming back, Lady Kimiko?" Rin asked looking up at Kimiko with saddened eyes as she tugged on her sleeve.

"I don't know, Rin," Kimiko gazed out at the surrounding plain with some apprehension. This was the first time the group had gone so far outside of the cover of a forest without Sesshomaru there, and Kimiko felt every exposed inch of dirt to the closest cover. Would she be able to get Rin to it in time if it became necessary? Maybe she should take the others back to the last forest where they weren't so exposed and then the threat that Rin might burn in the sun would also reduce. They couldn't sit stagnet there for too long though and risk being caught by Bakusui's hunting parties. Kimiko had already run into one of them since Sesshomaru had stalked off. . .

"Aaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" came a sudden cry mere moments before something impacted the earth not far in front of Kimiko and Rin sending up a giant dustcloud. Kimiko covered Rin's face and her own with a sleeve of her top until the dust cleared.

The dust settled revealing an old man (who landed in a way that would clearly kill the average person) and a three eyed cow. The two groups stared at each other for a few seconds in dumbfounded silence. Then Jaken screamed in a highly annoying and unmannly way which caused the old man and cow to recover and leap to their feet with a scream of their own. With a yell of "Shut the hell up, Jaken" Kimiko kicked Jaken like a football and he flew a good good hundred yards before landing, effectively silencing him for a while.

It was then that the two newcomers stopped screaming and the old man raised a shaking finger to point at Kimiko, "You're not Sesshomaru? What are you doing with his comrades?"

"Nope. Traveling," Kimiko replied simply, if he wasn't smart enough to word his questions better it wasn't her fault.

The old man gaped at her for a few seconds his green and black striped ragged clothes russled in the wind of the plain, "You look familiar somehow, lass. . ."

"And I have never seen you in my life, Old man," Kimiko replied turning her back to him and grabbing Ah-Un's reins. "Come on, Rin, we should get moving again before any of Bakusui's agents get ideas."

The old man gasped in surprise when he saw the naginata tied to Kimiko's back as she turned away from him and something clicked in his mind, "You're one of Yukimaru's pups aren't you?"

Kimiko paused midstep and glanced over her shoulder at him, "And what if I am? What is it to you?"

"I am Totosai, the smith who forged Tetsuaiga and Tenseiga the swords of the Fangs of Toga the Great Inuyoukai of the West, and the Shunken no Kyuuten the naginata of the Fang of Yukimaru the Great Inuyoukai of the East! I'ld know my work from anywhere and that is my creation strapped to your back, you insolent pup!" Totosai yelled hopping from foot to foot in anger at her tone and attitude. No wonder she was with Sesshomaru's pack, she fit in nicely.

Kimiko turned to face the old smith her surprise poorly veiled. She had never heard the name of the smith who forged Shunken no Kyuuten before and to hear this old man claim that he was the one who made it just, sounded a bit farfetched and blasphemy to her ears. And what the freaking hell had he been running away from when he crashed anyways?

"Let's see if you're even worthy of possessing one of my greatest pieces of work," Totosai said lifting his long hammer from the ground beside him then taking a run at Kimiko.

Fast as she could she put Rin on Ah-Un's back and slapped the dragon's backside to get it airborne then pulled the naginata from her back in one fluid motion. She turned to face the charging old youkai's attack.

-----------------na------------------------------

An inner sense in Sesshomaru twiched causing him to sit bolt upright in his tree and survey the surrounding area. Then he realized that what he sensed didn't have much related directly to him.

"What did you get yourself into now, Kimiko?" Sesshomaru whispered to himself not even realizing he had spoken informally.

Something was happening that involved _her_ and felt the possible danger? What the freaking hell? This was not a comfortable new sensation for him, not one bit. He jumped down from his perch as silent as death and scented the air. She and the pack wasn't too far away. He walked in the direction of the group in his graceful, hurried yet unhurried way. It would be best if he at least investigated what was going on even if he did't reveal his presense.

When he came to the edge of the treeline to the open plain the group was on a growl escaped his throat: What the hell was she thinking this time? His pace quickened as he moved into the not so welcome open ground, and a short time later caught sight of the pack. He noticed Rin and Ah-Un hovering over one area worriedly and knew with certainty that was where he'd find Kimiko, and moved toward that area. Soon the sound of metal on metal was heard and it brought back memories. He continued his approach without faltering in stride.

"Having fun, Old Totosai?" Sesshomaru jeered just for the fun of watching the older youkai squirm as he drew near the combatants. He cast a glance in Kimiko's direction before focusing on Totosai.

Kimiko growled at the clear dismissal in that glance, but refrained from smacking him when she noticed the bruise he still had from the last time she hit him. Totosai trembled at the sight of Sesshomaru but stood his ground. Glancing at the more subdued of the inuyoukai he noticed her annoyance at his lack of words in her direction. What was between these two that Sesshomaru at least somewhat trusted the female enough to give her a portion of his back and to keep an eye on his pack, and her to be upset when he more or less ignores her?

"Just testing her worth to wield that naginata, Lord Sesshomaru. Why? What difference does it make to you?" Totosai stated attempting to draw himself up straighter in the face of the inutaiyoukai. What gave him the courage to do so he couldn't say, but Kimiko's presense probably had something to do with it. "Still on that kick of wanting a new sword?"

Sesshomaru growled at the old man and his trembling worsened, but he didn't back down.

"You could have stayed where ever you were for a few more days if you wanted to. You didn't have to come," Kimiko stated blandly walking past Sesshomaru and Totosai anger and pride steeling her spine. Her words clearly addressed to Sesshomaru. She had felt bad and guilty for the past three days and wanted him to return, but with how he had, she wanted to get away from him. _Stupid jerk!_

_What the hell is her problem now?_ When Kimiko continued to walk away, Totosai glanced at Sesshomaru and ran in the opposite direction, and Sesshomaru felt confused by her reaction. "Where are you going?" he called out after her, he was so not going to chase her down like a common domestic dog does its master.

"Away from _you_!" Kimiko shouted back not even deign to look back over her shoulder at him. At Rin's sound of distress from above she yelled a little more gently, "Stay with _him_, Rin, and don't you dare follow me! I need some time alone!"

After Kimiko disappeared from everyones range of sight Jaken regained conscousness and returned to his lord, Rin and Ah-Un touched down a short ways from Sesshomaru with a sad bow to their heads. Sesshomaru stared after her his eyes wide in shock. What the hell set her off on him? He did sort of acknowledge that she was there, didn't he? And what did Totosai mean by testing her worthiness of Shunken no Kyuuten? She wielded it better then her father and it moved like poetry in motion when she used it, she didn't waste energy doing stupid ass moves that held no meaning. As far as he was concerned she was a master of it beyond the shadow of a doubt.

Totosai sighed as he rode his cow as far from Sesshomaru as he could. Kimiko was skilled and respected the blade, that much was true, but from what he had observed before Sesshomaru showed up she had no idea of Shunken no Kyuuten's full power. She was a bit like Inuyasha in that respect if he thought about it. Inuyasha had no idea of the Wind Scar or even how to use it until Sesshomaru more or less forced him to notice it by blinding him. Too bad Shunko couldn't be found that way too, but it was something only those with a sharp will rather than nose could ever sense. Heck the girl's father, the man who commissioned the blade, couldn't even tap it.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the two month delay in this! God it seems like every time I turn around multiple months have past since my last update. Anyways, now Inus and friends have made an appearence as well as a strange uncle who doesn't seem to realize both of Kimiko's parents are dead, and an introduction to some of the things unique to Kimiko. Oh, no! I just brought Fluffy back to his group and now I have Kimiko going off on her own (faceplam) Anyone else think I like sabotage those two besides me now?

Anyways I hope you enjoyed, and will leave me a review whether you did or not. I can see the number of you visiting this story and the number of you who review! Hugs and cyber cookies and icecream to all my reviewers! Love you all!


	12. Chapter 12: Apology and Reunion

Bark at the Moon

an Inuyasha fanfiction

by: Sakura Onna

_Last time:_

_What the hell is her problem now? _When Kimiko continued to walk away, Totosai glanced at Sesshomaru and ran in the opposite direction, and Sesshomaru felt confused by her reaction. "Where are you going?" he called out after her, he was so not going to chase her down like a common domestic dog does its master.

"Away from _you_!" Kimiko shouted back not even deign to look back over her shoulder at him. At Rin's sound of distress from above she yelled a little more gently, "Stay with _him_, Rin, and don't you dare follow me! I need some time alone!"

After Kimiko disappeared from every ones range of sight Jaken regained consciousness and returned to his lord, Rin and Ah-Un touched down a short ways from Sesshomaru with a sad bow to their heads. Sesshomaru stared after her his eyes wide in shock. What the hell set her off on him? He did sort of acknowledge that she was there, didn't he? And what did Totosai mean by testing her worthiness of Shunken no Kyuuten? She wielded it better then her father and it moved like poetry in motion when she used it, she didn't waste energy doing stupid ass moves that held no meaning. As far as he was concerned she was a master of it beyond the shadow of a doubt.

Totosai sighed as he rode his cow as far from Sesshomaru as he could. Kimiko was skilled and respected the blade, that much was true, but from what he had observed before Sesshomaru showed up she had no idea of Shunken no Kyuuten's full power. She was a bit like Inuyasha in that respect if he thought about it. Inuyasha had no idea of the Wind Scar or even how to use it until Sesshomaru more or less forced him to notice it by blinding him. Too bad Shunko couldn't be found that way too, but it was something only those with a sharp will rather than nose could ever sense. Heck the girl's father, the man who commissioned the blade, couldn't even tap it.

Chapter 12: An Apology Due and Reunited (Again)

-dfhks-

Kagome wasn't quite sure what it was that caused her to look up from the water bottle she had submerged in the river up to her wrist when she did, but the sight that met her eyes took her breath away. Perhaps it was the female youkai's aura of agitation that did it or the odd golden hair that threatened to slip over her shoulder and get in her way. Either way she crouched down stream from Kagome washing bright red blood from her hands in a disgusted, almost desperate, way seemingly unaware of what was going on around her. Kagome slowly pulled the three quarters filled bottle from the river then carefully took a step back. The female youkai thrust her hands deep in the water of the river up to her elbows soaking the dark fabric of her sleeves. Kagome took another step back. Something about her actions reminded Kagome of Inuyasha after he had slain a whole band of bandits in the mindless killing wrath his demon blood taking over him had caused. Where was Inuyasha anyway? What was keeping him from continuing to use his knack of arriving just when he was needed? As the youkai pulled her hands back out of the water blood-free she glanced up at Kagome. A gasp tore from Kagome's throat at the sight of her blue eyes and she couldn't make her legs take another step back. Something about the look in them held her in place.

Kimiko glanced at the human girl on the other side of the river barely taking of any notice of her before she grabbed the naginata beside her and stood turning her back to the river and the girl. She took a few steps from the place when a silver haired hanyou leaped in to her path and she sensed two more humans and a youkai fall in behind her. Kimiko looked at the hanyou before her without a trace of malice unlike most full blooded youkai would.

"Who all's blood is that you're drenched in?" the hayou asked severely. "It don't smell human."

"Youkai. Sent to bring me to their master. Most likely with the intent of punishing me for not being a good little captive anymore. Maybe even kill me," Kimiko replied tonelessly.

"What does this master want with you?" the youkai whose face she couldn't see inquired. She could tell it was a male from voice and scent.

"Ask him. Possibly as a means to help keep some groups under control in the Eastern Lands."

"Why are you here?" asked one of the humans, a male, the tinkle of metal rings colliding following shortly behind. Apparently a houshi, how unusual.

"To think clearly and getting a bit of time away from my companions. Well, one of them anyways. What's it to you, Houshi?" knowing that it had to be a monk that addressed her from the sound of metal ring hitting metal ring.

"Who are you?" the youkai male asked slowly moving to come to her front to get a look at her face.

The bronze eyed, copper haired Dantel stared at Kimiko in disbelief, "Kimi. . ."

The others looked at each other for a moment then Dantel, "Who?"

"My brother's daughter, my niece, Kimi. I can't believe this. When Yukimaru wrote that his little girl had her mother's eyes I didn't believe it. And to think how quick it was to bump into her after joining you guys." Dantel said half to the people around him and half to himself.

"I don't know you," Kimiko stated and moved to walk past the odd inu and hanyou.

Dantel caught Kimiko's arm and in one motion shoved her bangs away from her forehead revealing her spiral sun mark with its eight rays. Kimiko reared away from the hand that touched her forehead and snapped her jaws shut on it the moment it got in range of her teeth. A howl of pain escaped Dantel's throat and Kimiko released his hand the moment his grip released her arm. She used her superhuman speed to put distance between her and the group of strangers around her. The whites of her eyes bled crimson as she growled at the group from a safer distance, her fangs bared, the naginata in her hand forgotten. Her teeth had pierced Dantel's hand deeply and as such blood ran freely from the wound she had inflicted. Inuyasha drew Tetsuaiga from its sheath and pointed the blade at the female youkai.

Suddenly a ringing "SIT!" came from the other side of the river and everyone looked at the more or less forgotten Kagome in disbelief. Inquiring of "what are you doing" and "what are you thinking" soon filled the air while Dantel managed a small grateful smile as he held his injured hand as straight down as possible. He had realized after Kimiko jerked back that he had made a very big mistake in grabbing her so suddenly. She had acted in instinctive self preservation.

Kagome proceeded to lay into everyone from the opposite side of the river until Kirara brought her over to the same side as the others. Inuyasha's ears laid more and more back as Kagome railed more and more on them, Dantel and him especially. She pointed out that the female youkai had been upset to start with and they had just made things worse, and that she could have hurt her before the others came if she had wanted to.

-bbbb-

Sesshomaru concealed an agitated sigh as best he could from the others. Rin was moping worse than ever and so was Ah-Un. Even Jaken, who complained when ever he could about Kimiko, showed signs of missing her presence. It was up to her if she ever came back or not, but considering what he had seen of the bond between her and Rin, she was bound to return sooner of later. Besides she probably needed the time between now and then like he had to think somethings over.

Rin was silent as she glanced at Sesshomaru out of the corner of her eyes as she rode on Ah-Un's back. She hadn't spoken a word since Kimiko told her to stay with Sesshomaru and not follow her to where ever she was going. Rin wanted to be smiling and her normal self, but with her lessons over until Kimiko returned started them again or Sesshomaru deigned to tutor her and he would have to find someone else to continue the language lessons Kimiko started. Rin was pretty sure the latter wasn't going to happen.

_Why did Lady Kimiko have to leave when she did? I'm surprised the child isn't being a bigger pain in the ass than she is. The girl adored her for gods' sakes! But then she worships Lord Sesshomaru too though. . . Gah! This is so ridiculous. When she was here she added to the hell of my servitude and now that she isn't here, I want her to return and bring back the girl's excessive energy and my Lord's . . . Well I just don't know what it is but he's definitely been different since he returned and she left in mere moments of each other. _Jaken pondered in uncharacteristic silence like Rin's oblivious to everything around the group.

-tototototo-

Bakusui leaned forward over the blood red crystal his green eyes glittering at the sight the crystal held. After he had calmed down he had taken the crystal back out of its chest and returned to gazing through it. He had witnessed the battle between Kimiko and more of his expendable pawns and her encounter with the hanyou's group. With her separated from the Western Lord, Kimiko was bound to be an easier target now even if she joined the hanyou group now. Bakusui remembered Dantel well. He was an easily manipulated, awkward, and rather unskilled youkai. The fact that he managed the long journey from Italy to Japan was of little consequence to Bakusui. Dantel had always gotten the short end of the stick compared to his only brother. There was bound to be an inner rage that had been caged up for years in the younger male that he could tap and twist to serve his purposes.

A disturbance in the air of the room caused Bakusui to look up from the crystal and glare at the male that had entered his chambers without knocking or asking permission. He had a strong aura, but that didn't intimidate Bakusui one bit. The stranger's clothes nor spike bone armor left much impression either. He had tentacles like the tails of dragons growing out of his back which also had little effect on the taiyoukai.

"So you are Lord Bakusui? Not what I was expecting," the stranger spoke in a cold voice that would have sent shivers up the spine of most human and youkai alike.

"And what's it to you?" Bakusui growled unfazed narrowing his eyes.

"Why, it sounds like we have a foe in common, Lord Bakusui, and you're struggling to even get a foothold against the female that travels with him," he replied smoothly.

"What is your name?" Bakusui growled distrustfully. Sesshomaru was not his enemy as long as he stayed out of his way, unlike what the stranger suggested.

"Naraku, my lord. I came here to offer you some assistance in dealing with the troublesome dog," Naraku formed a trident from a piece of his bone and offered it to Bakusui. "If you use this, I'm sure he can be defeated."

"And if I refuse?"

"Your enemies will continue to wear you away and thumb their noses at you until you have nothing left. Then you'll be worse off then you were before you seized Yukimaru's power and ripped it from his dying heart, correct? All the hassle you've put yourself through your whole life will have been for naught. Then what? What will you do with nothing left but your wretched worthless life and the memories of the things you always wanted but could never have without the power of supreme conquest. The power of Yukimaru's bloodline, correct?" Naraku stated hitting every one of Bakusui's sore points that he could.

As Naraku had hoped rage contorted Bakusui's face in to a mask of pure hatred. He sprang to his feet shattering the blood red crystal on the floor and ripped the bone trident from Naraku's hand with almost enough force to tear it off. He didn't trust Naraku, far from it in fact, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to take part of his power for now at least and turn it against him later. Naraku dissipated into the surroundings with a smirk of satisfaction. The implication of the shattering of the blood red crystal didn't hit Bakusui until long after Naraku had left him standing alone in his quarters and a portion of the rage had faded into some semblance of reason. With the crystal gone what vision of distant things he had was also gone so he couldn't use that power to locate anyone or anything, or even to speak with his allies over vast distances. He had screwed himself up the ass in his blind rage.

He could only use what sense Yukimaru had had for finding his daughter in some of the strangest places when she had been small.

-acaca-

Kimiko stared at Dantel and the group seated in front of her dispassionately as she finally corrected her name, _"Kou. _Kimi_ko_. My name is Kimiko and has been for as long as I can remember. The Empress Child, the Noble Child, the Child Without Equal. Take you pick of the meaning."

"What the fuck kind of person brands their kid with that kind of name?" Inuyasha said with a snort crossing his arms in front of himself.

"Your father didn't quite name you and your older brother all that nicely either, Inuyasha. Think about it 'Killing Perfection' and 'Dog Boy' aren't quite names I'ld pick out but your father did," Kagome said matter of factly lifting her pointer finger to the sky in that gauster of someone pointing out some random fact.

"Not helping!" Inuyasha stated in Kagome's direction through clinched teeth almost instantly, missing the flicker of emotion in Kimiko's eyes when Kagome mentioned the meaning of Sesshomaru's name.

"Parents give their children the names they do for various reasons. My father named each of us with his heart and the hope of the future. The youngest of my siblings, the twins Mizuki and Kazuki's names, meant 'Beautiful Moon' and 'Harmonious Hope' respectively. Neither was given with the intent of intimidating future adversaries," Kimiko spoke softly turning her eyes away for the few seconds it took to regain control of her features.

Dantel looked at Kimiko intently. Here before him was the only member of his family in Japan he had found, and she looked so much like her father he could nearly think he was sitting in front of him. Every letter his brother had ever sent hadn't been anywhere near the preparation needed for this. Yukimaru had never called his oldest child anything other than Kimi in his letters. Dantel though could see something quite meaningful in the young woman's changed name. Something traumatic must have happened to Kou when his daughter was young, and to honor her added her name as a final syllible to their daughter's name. Kimiko held the answers he sought.

"Where is my brother now? Why hasn't he been in touch with anyone in the clan for over two hundred years?" Dantel asked staring at Kimiko even more intently watching every little shift in her expression for every clue he could gather.

A haunted look passed over Kimiko for a few seconds before she gathered herself back to a more neutral expression. "Dead. Betrayed by those closest to him without remorse, his lands seized by the head of the betrayers, and forgotten by all but those that held the deepest respect for him."

Dantel's face paled at Kimiko's words, "Your mother?"

"Died when I was too young to remember her," Kimiko said with the smoothness of someone who had long given up being upset by something.

Dantel's suspicions had been confirmed then as well as those of the eldest member of the clan. "You're coming to Italy with me."

"No," Kimiko said startled by such a thought. "I am staying here and doing what I must."

"You're coming to Italy for your own good. The Eldest wants you under her eyes. You have a gift few of our clan ever receive and you have to learn to handle it. The Eldest is the only one left besides yourself who has this gift." Dantel stated rising to his feet in an attempt to look imposing.

"I don't care. I have something I must do and no one will tell me not to do it," Kimiko replied briskly rising to her feet as well and picking up her naginata. She turned on her heel and strod away from Inuyasha's group her back steeled with the resolve she needed. She didn't like the thought of apologizing for anything, but at least this wouldn't be for nothing.

-fefefefe-

Sesshomaru smelled her before he saw her leaning casually against the trunk of a tree ahead of his group staring up at the sky. He could sense the tension in her frame despite her relaxed pose and tell that she wasn't there by coincidence. He felt a mixture of emotion inside him that never reached his face, one of them was tentative hope. As he drew abreast her tree she detached herself and fell in step beside him. A few silent moments passed, during which Sesshomaru didn't dare breathe lest she changed her mind about being there, before Kimiko spoke.

She didn't look at him and had her face slightly turned away but he heard every word, "I apologize for my behavior, Lord Sesshomaru."

"Accepted. . ." Sesshomaru replied taking a relieved breath, "Rin and Jaken have missed you." _As have I._

"I can believe that," Kimiko was glad that Sesshomaru wasn't turning her away from rejoining them. _Thank you._

Sesshomaru watched as the others greeted each other. He was glad that everyone was finally no longer moping and the change in atmosphere. He had seen as well the release of the tension in Kimiko after he had accepted her apology, and he had to wonder if she was expecting one from him as well for his behavior. He also had to wonder what her apology had cost her. Beings like him and her just couldn't say an apology if out some part of their pride being reduced in the process. She did seem to not hold herself so stiffly now. She was a bit different but it didn't seem to be enough for the others to notice over the next few days. Rin's lessons were resumed almost instantly, and Jaken's complaints resumed as well.

* * *

Sorry this has taken so long! My computer was dead for a while but it has been resurrected! I think I may have a start on the next chapter already, and did even before I finished this one, but I can't promise when it will be done and up. Hopefully I didn't make Kimiko's rejoining Sesshomaru, Rin and them guys too unlikely. :/


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